Legislation - SB0141

Title: Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes
Sponsored by: Senators Hester, Brooks, Feldman, Harris, Kagan, and M. Washington
Status: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 444
Analysis: Fiscal and Policy Note (Revised)

Synopsis

Requiring and authorizing the State Administrator of Elections to take certain actions if the State Administrator receives a credible report that election misinformation or election disinformation, including a deepfake, has been or is being communicated, disseminated, or distributed; requiring the Administrator to publicly communicate correct information; prohibiting a person from knowingly or with reckless disregard creating, using, or disseminating a deepfake to produce materially false information; etc.

Committees

Original:: Education, Energy, and the Environment Click to view Recorded Media

Opposite:: Government, Labor, and Elections Click to view Recorded Media

Committee Testimony

Witness List

Details

Cross-filed with: HB0145

Introduced in a prior session as: SB0361 Session: 2025 Regular Session

Bill File Type: Pre-Filed

Effective Date(s): June 1, 2026

History

Legislation History
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 7/16/2025 Legislative Date 7/16/2025 Action Pre-filed Proceedings
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 1/14/2026 Legislative Date 1/14/2026 Action First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment Proceedings
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - First - Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes Proceedings
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 1/14/2026 Legislative Date 1/14/2026 Action Hearing 1/21 at 11:00 a.m. Proceedings
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Vote - Senate - Committee - Education, Energy, and the Environment Proceedings Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/02/2026 Legislative Date 2/02/2026 Action Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment Proceedings
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/03/2026 Legislative Date 2/03/2026 Action Favorable with Amendments {103824/1 Adopted Proceedings 14 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/03/2026 Legislative Date 2/03/2026 Action Second Reading Passed with Amendments Proceedings 14 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/05/2026 Legislative Date 2/05/2026 Action Motion Returned Second Reading (Senator Hester) Adopted Proceedings 16 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/05/2026 Legislative Date 2/05/2026 Action Motion Special Order until 2/10 (Senator Hester) Adopted Proceedings 16 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/10/2026 Legislative Date 2/07/2026 Action Floor Amendment {253621/1 (Senator Hester) Adopted Proceedings 18 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/10/2026 Legislative Date 2/07/2026 Action Second Reading Passed with Amendments Proceedings 18 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - Third - Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes Proceedings
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/12/2026 Legislative Date 2/09/2026 Action Third Reading Passed (44-0) Proceedings 20 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 2/13/2026 Legislative Date 2/13/2026 Action Referred Government, Labor, and Elections Proceedings 22 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 3/24/2026 Legislative Date 3/24/2026 Action Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. Proceedings
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Vote - House - Committee - Government, Labor, and Elections Proceedings Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/09/2026 Legislative Date 4/09/2026 Action Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and Elections Proceedings
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/09/2026 Legislative Date 3/23/2026 Action Favorable with Amendments {433522/1 Adopted Proceedings 60 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/09/2026 Legislative Date 3/23/2026 Action Motion Special Order until Next Session (Delegate Fair) Adopted Proceedings 60 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/09/2026 Legislative Date 3/24/2026 Action Second Reading Passed with Amendments Proceedings 61 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/10/2026 Legislative Date 3/26/2026 Action Third Reading Passed (95-35) Proceedings 63 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 3/26/2026 Action Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments Proceedings 65 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 3/26/2026 Action Senate Requests House Recede Proceedings 65 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 3/26/2026 Action Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion) Proceedings 65 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 4/01/2026 Action Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments Proceedings 69 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 4/01/2026 Action Senate Requests House Recede Proceedings 69 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 4/01/2026 Action Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion) Proceedings 69 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 4/01/2026 Action House Refuses Recede Proceedings 69 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 4/01/2026 Action House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson) Proceedings 69 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 3/27/2026 Action House Refuses Recede Proceedings 66 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 3/27/2026 Action House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson) Proceedings 66 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 3/27/2026 Action Conference Committee Report {173226/1 Adopted Proceedings 66 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 3/27/2026 Action Third Reading Passed (28-4) Proceedings 66 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 4/02/2026 Action Conference Committee Report {173226/1 Adopted Proceedings 70 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 4/13/2026 Legislative Date 4/02/2026 Action Third Reading Passed (85-38) Proceedings 70 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 4/14/2026 Legislative Date 3/27/2026 Action Passed Enrolled Proceedings
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - Enrolled - Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes Proceedings
Chamber Post Passage Calendar Date 5/12/2026 Legislative Date 5/12/2026 Action Approved by the Governor - Chapter 444 Proceedings
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - Chapter - Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes Proceedings

Chamber	Calendar Date	Legislative Date	Action	Proceedings
Senate	7/16/2025	7/16/2025	Pre-filed
Senate	1/14/2026	1/14/2026	First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
			Text - First - Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes
Senate	1/14/2026	1/14/2026	Hearing 1/21 at 11:00 a.m.
			Vote - Senate - Committee - Education, Energy, and the Environment	Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	2/02/2026	2/02/2026	Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
Senate	2/03/2026	2/03/2026	Favorable with Amendments {103824/1 Adopted	14 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	2/03/2026	2/03/2026	Second Reading Passed with Amendments	14 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	2/05/2026	2/05/2026	Motion Returned Second Reading (Senator Hester) Adopted	16 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	2/05/2026	2/05/2026	Motion Special Order until 2/10 (Senator Hester) Adopted	16 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	2/10/2026	2/07/2026	Floor Amendment {253621/1 (Senator Hester) Adopted	18 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	2/10/2026	2/07/2026	Second Reading Passed with Amendments	18 Click to view Recorded Media
			Text - Third - Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes
Senate	2/12/2026	2/09/2026	Third Reading Passed (44-0)	20 Click to view Recorded Media
House	2/13/2026	2/13/2026	Referred Government, Labor, and Elections	22 Click to view Recorded Media
House	3/24/2026	3/24/2026	Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m.
			Vote - House - Committee - Government, Labor, and Elections	Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/09/2026	4/09/2026	Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and Elections
House	4/09/2026	3/23/2026	Favorable with Amendments {433522/1 Adopted	60 Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/09/2026	3/23/2026	Motion Special Order until Next Session (Delegate Fair) Adopted	60 Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/09/2026	3/24/2026	Second Reading Passed with Amendments	61 Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/10/2026	3/26/2026	Third Reading Passed (95-35)	63 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	4/13/2026	3/26/2026	Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments	65 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	4/13/2026	3/26/2026	Senate Requests House Recede	65 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	4/13/2026	3/26/2026	Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion)	65 Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/13/2026	4/01/2026	Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments	69 Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/13/2026	4/01/2026	Senate Requests House Recede	69 Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/13/2026	4/01/2026	Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion)	69 Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/13/2026	4/01/2026	House Refuses Recede	69 Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/13/2026	4/01/2026	House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson)	69 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	4/13/2026	3/27/2026	House Refuses Recede	66 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	4/13/2026	3/27/2026	House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson)	66 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	4/13/2026	3/27/2026	Conference Committee Report {173226/1 Adopted	66 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	4/13/2026	3/27/2026	Third Reading Passed (28-4)	66 Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/13/2026	4/02/2026	Conference Committee Report {173226/1 Adopted	70 Click to view Recorded Media
House	4/13/2026	4/02/2026	Third Reading Passed (85-38)	70 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	4/14/2026	3/27/2026	Passed Enrolled
			Text - Enrolled - Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes
Post Passage	5/12/2026	5/12/2026	Approved by the Governor - Chapter 444
			Text - Chapter - Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes

File Code

Subjects

Statutes