House Bill No. 540, introduced by Representative Knox, amends R.S. 18:1463(C)(2) to enhance disclosure requirements for digital political communications. The bill mandates that any digital material referring to a legally qualified candidate for elected office and broadcast within 60 days before an election must adhere to the same disclosure standards currently applied to electioneering communications. This includes clear identification of the funding source, whether it is paid for and authorized by a candidate or political committee, or by other persons, with specific requirements for naming and contact information.

The proposed law retains existing provisions regarding disclosures for electioneering communications and extends these requirements to digital materials. It specifies that if the communication is not authorized by a candidate or political committee, it must include the name, physical address, telephone number, and website of the payer, along with a statement indicating that it is not authorized by any candidate or committee. The bill also maintains the penalties for violations, which can include fines or imprisonment, ensuring that the same legal consequences apply to breaches of the new digital communication requirements.

Statutes affected:
HB540 Original: 18:1463(C)(2)
HB540 Engrossed: 18:1463(C)(2)
HB540 Reengrossed: 18:1463(C)(2)