Committee votes: AI disclosure, business disclosure and lobbying rules advance from State Administration

The House State Administration Committee completed executive action on three Senate bills during the meeting.

Senate Bill 25 (AI disclosures in elections) SB 25, from Senator Ellis and the State Administration and Veterans Affairs interim committee, would revise election law disclosure requirements for the use of artificial intelligence in election‑related materials. The committee adopted amendment SB0025.002.001 (sponsor‑distributed) in a voice vote; amendment language clarified that the disclosure requirement applies to persons “working in an official election capacity,” broadened the definition of paid sponsorship and added language about AI editing flags requested by broadcasters. Representative Schubert offered a conceptual amendment to narrow the bill further (striking “or sponsor” to limit liability to paid advertising and to shorten the required disclaimer text); that conceptual amendment failed on a roll call (6 yeas, 13 nays). On the final motion to concur in SB 25 as amended, the bill passed committee on a roll call: 15 ayes, 4 nays. The committee assigned a carrier to take the bill to the floor.

Senate Bill 492 (business disclosure timing) SB 492, from Senator Hertz, revises business disclosure statement requirements for elected officials and department directors. The committee adopted a staff‑distributed amendment restoring a five‑day filing window (the amendment changed a previously drafted 10‑day timing back to five days after consultation with the COPP office). The amendment passed (voice vote with proxy recorded). The bill passed the committee as once amended by roll call: 11 ayes, 8 nays. The committee identified a carrier for the bill.

Senate Bill 222 (lobbying prohibitions for public employees) Representative Tillman moved to take Senate Bill 222 from the table; the motion to take the bill from the table passed by roll call (13 ayes, 5 nays). The committee then voted to concur in SB 222; the concurrence motion passed by roll call, 13 ayes and 6 nays. SB 222 revises laws related to lobbying prohibitions for public employees; Legislative Services staff read the title on the record before the vote.

Votes at a glance - SB 25 (as amended) — Motion to concur: PASSED, 15–4; conceptual amendment (Schubert) FAILED, 6–13. Amendment SB0025.002.001 adopted (voice). Carrier assigned by committee. - SB 492 (as amended) — Motion to concur: PASSED, 11–8. Amendment (restore 5‑day window) adopted (voice/proxy). Carrier assigned by committee. - SB 222 (taken from table; concur) — Motion to take from table: PASSED, 13–5. Motion to concur: PASSED, 13–6.

What the bills do (brief) - SB 25: Revises election laws to require disclosures when AI was used in creating or materially editing images, audio, video or multimedia related to elections; committee language clarifies application to official election capacity and updates definitions; sponsors and opponents debated scope and safeguards for satire or non‑paid posts. - SB 492: Adjusts timing for business disclosure filings for elected officials and department directors (amendment returned the filing window to five days in consultation with COPP staff). - SB 222: Revises lobbying prohibitions for public employees (title read by staff; committee took and concurred in the bill).

Procedural notes and next steps The three bills will be carried to the floor by committee‑designated carriers. Several members urged further refinements and potential floor amendments on SB 25 to address edge cases such as personal‑versus‑campaign accounts and satire; Representative Schubert indicated intent to pursue a floor amendment if desired. Committee proxies were recorded where noted in the roll calls.

Ending: Each bill passed the House State Administration Committee as described above and will move to subsequent floor action by the assigned carriers.