House panel finds synthetic-media election bill favorable after debate on timing and expert input

The House Government Operations & Military Affairs Committee voted May 28 to find S 23 favorable after a lengthy debate about whether to delay the measure to await additional expert comment.

Deputy Secretary of State Lauren Hibbert told the committee the Secretary of State's Office supports passing the bill now so the office can begin public and election-worker education in advance of the August primary. "I think we're in a much better position even if we have to make modifications in January for this bill to pass now," Hibbert said. She added that starting an education trajectory now is preferable to passing a law too late to prepare for an imminent election.

The bill would regulate synthetic media and AI used in the context of elections. Rick Sable of the Legislative Council told the committee that "generally speaking, 20 or so states" have enacted laws in this area in varying forms; another committee speaker said six states require disclosure before an election, a closer analogue to the proposal under consideration. Multiple witnesses who testified previously asked for stricter drafting to close potential future loopholes, but committee members and the deputy secretary weighed that concern against the practical need to give election officials time to prepare.

Some committee members urged waiting until they received written feedback requested from witnesses who testified in an executive session the previous day; others said the testimony already received since March and the practical timelines for public education made passage now preferable. One member noted that the committee can still propose floor amendments if significant new information arrives.

A motion to find S 23 (draft 3.2, dated 05/09/2025) favorable was made on the floor and carried; the record shows both Yes and No votes, and several members expressed the view that the bill should be revisited and tightened in future sessions if necessary. The committee did not provide a clear, unambiguous roll-call tally in the transcript excerpted in the briefing record.

Next steps: With the committee finding S 23 favorable, the bill moves to the House floor; committee members flagged the option to offer a consensus floor amendment if substantial new information is provided before floor action.