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House committee weighs disclosure, exemptions and enforcement in proposed Montana 'deepfake' election law
Summary
Sen. Janet Ellis presented Senate Bill 25 to require disclosure on AI-generated 'deepfakes' used in elections. Broadcasters, telecom companies and other stakeholders pressed for narrower language, raised concerns about ambiguous duties such as "should have known" and a "good faith effort" standard, and sought liability protections for service providers.
Sen. Janet Ellis, sponsor of Senate Bill 25, told the House State Administration Committee the bill would require a disclosure statement on AI-generated "deepfakes" used in elections beginning 60 days before an election and would give candidates injunctive relief and a complaint path with the Commissioner of Political Practices.
"What Senate Bill 25 does is it essentially requires that a disclosure statement be placed on AI deep fakes that are used in elections 60 days before an election," Ellis said. She described the measure as a disclosure regime, not a ban, and said it was drafted to be complaint-driven and compatible with free-speech protections highlighted by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Broadcasters and major…
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