The proposed General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6846 aims to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other methods for generating deceptive synthetic media, particularly in the context of elections. The bill defines key terms such as "artificial intelligence," "candidate," and "deceptive synthetic media," which refers to manipulated images, audio, or video that misrepresent an individual's appearance or conduct. Under the new law, it will be prohibited for any person to distribute deceptive synthetic media during the ninety days leading up to an election or primary if they know or should reasonably know that the content is deceptive and is intended to harm a candidate or influence election outcomes.

However, the bill allows for certain exceptions, such as when the deceptive media includes clear disclaimers indicating manipulation or when it is distributed by recognized media outlets as part of bona fide news coverage. Violations of this law could result in penalties ranging from a class C misdemeanor to a class D felony, depending on the intent and scale of the violation. Additionally, the bill empowers the Attorney General and affected individuals to pursue civil actions for damages or to seek injunctions against violators. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and introduces new legal language while amending existing statutes related to election laws.