The bill amends section 16.1-10-04 of the North Dakota Century Code to establish penalties for the publication of false information in political advertisements. It specifies that a person can be charged with a class A misdemeanor if they knowingly or with reckless disregard publish any political advertisement or news release that contains false, deceptive, or misleading assertions about a candidate or related electoral issues. The bill broadens the scope of media through which such false information can be disseminated, explicitly including social media and other commercial mediums.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that the provisions do not apply to newspapers, television or radio stations, or other commercial mediums that are not the source of the misleading political advertisement or news release. This distinction aims to protect media outlets from liability for content they did not create, while still holding individuals accountable for the dissemination of false information in political contexts.

Statutes affected:
INTRODUCED: 16.1-10-04
Adopted by the House Political Subdivisions Committee: 16.1-10-04
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 16.1-10-04