Legislation - SB0697

Title: Election Law - Actions to Influence an Election - Social Media Platform Algorithms and Bots Purchased by Foreign Nationals
Sponsored by: Senators Feldman and Hester
Status: In the House - Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m.
Analysis: Fiscal and Policy Note

Synopsis

Establishing a rebuttable presumption that a social media platform has made an independent expenditure to a certain candidate if the social media platform knowingly and purposefully alters its algorithm to amplify certain political content for the benefit of the candidate; prohibiting a foreign national from using a bot to publish, distribute, or disseminate campaign material or artificially amplify political content to users of an online platform for a certain purpose; etc.

Committees

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

Opposite:: Government, Labor, and Elections

Committee Testimony

Witness List

Details

Bill File Type: Regular

Effective Date(s): October 1, 2026

History

Legislation History
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/06/2026 Legislative Date 2/06/2026 Action First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment Proceedings
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - First - Election Law - Actions to Influence an Election - Social Media Platform Algorithms and Bots Purchased by Foreign Nationals Proceedings
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/10/2026 Legislative Date 2/10/2026 Action Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.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 3/16/2026 Legislative Date 3/16/2026 Action Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment Proceedings
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 3/18/2026 Legislative Date 3/02/2026 Action Favorable with Amendments {473524/1 Adopted Proceedings 41 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 3/18/2026 Legislative Date 3/02/2026 Action Second Reading Passed with Amendments Proceedings 41 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - Third - Election Law - Actions to Influence an Election - Social Media Platform Algorithms and Bots Purchased by Foreign Nationals Proceedings
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 3/19/2026 Legislative Date 3/03/2026 Action Third Reading Passed (45-0) Proceedings 42AClick to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 3/20/2026 Legislative Date 3/07/2026 Action Referred Government, Labor, and Elections Proceedings 44AClick 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	Proceedings
Senate	2/06/2026	2/06/2026	First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
			Text - First - Election Law - Actions to Influence an Election - Social Media Platform Algorithms and Bots Purchased by Foreign Nationals
Senate	2/10/2026	2/10/2026	Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m.
			Vote - Senate - Committee - Education, Energy, and the Environment	Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	3/16/2026	3/16/2026	Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
Senate	3/18/2026	3/02/2026	Favorable with Amendments {473524/1 Adopted	41 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	3/18/2026	3/02/2026	Second Reading Passed with Amendments	41 Click to view Recorded Media
			Text - Third - Election Law - Actions to Influence an Election - Social Media Platform Algorithms and Bots Purchased by Foreign Nationals
Senate	3/19/2026	3/03/2026	Third Reading Passed (45-0)	42AClick to view Recorded Media
House	3/20/2026	3/07/2026	Referred Government, Labor, and Elections	44AClick to view Recorded Media
House	3/24/2026	3/24/2026	Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m.

File Code

Subjects

Statutes