H.B. No. 3386 amends the Election Code to include provisions regarding political advertising distributed or broadcast as part of a mass text message campaign. Specifically, it revises the definition of "political advertising" to encompass communications that are sent as mass text messages, in addition to traditional forms of media such as newspapers, magazines, and broadcasts. The bill also introduces a new definition for "mass text message campaign," which is characterized as an organized effort to send text messages to multiple recipients in support of or opposition to a candidate, political party, public officer, or measure, involving expenditures that exceed basic costs associated with messaging.

The changes made by this Act will only apply to political advertising distributed or broadcast on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025. Any political advertising that occurs before this date will continue to be governed by the existing laws in place at that time. This legislation aims to modernize the regulations surrounding political advertising to account for the growing use of text messaging as a campaign tool.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 251.001 (Election Code 251)