SESSION OF 2021
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2118
As Recommended by House Committee on
Elections

Brief*
HB 2118 would amend law governing activities that
would constitute corrupt political advertising of a state or local
office.
Specifically, the bill would remove the requirement that
the name of the treasurer of the organization sponsoring paid
advertisements expressly advocating for the nomination,
election, or defeat of an identified candidate for a local or
state election be included in such advertisements that are:
● Published in a newspaper or other periodical;
● Broadcast by any radio or television station;
● Sent by telephone, including by any device using a
voice over internet protocol or wireless telephone;
● Published in any brochure, flier, or other political
fact sheet;
● Made on any website, email, or other type of
Internet communication made by the candidate,
candidate’s candidate committee, a political
committee, or a party committee and such website,
email, or internet communication is viewed by or
disseminated to 25 or more individuals.

____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
 In continuing law, such advertisements must contain the
name of the sponsoring organization and the organization’s
chairperson.
The bill would amend law to require such
advertisements made on any website, email, or other type of
internet communication to include a clear and obvious
statement that includes “Paid for” or “Sponsored by” followed
by the name of the chairperson of the political or other
organization sponsoring the advertisement or the name of the
individual responsible for the advertisement.

Background
The bill was introduced by the House Committee on
Elections at the request of Representative Blake Carpenter.
[Note: HB 2118 contains provisions similar to those of
2020 HB 2562 as recommended by the House Committee on
Elections.]

House Committee on Elections
In the House Committee hearing on the bill, the
Executive Director of the Governmental Ethics Commission
(Commission) provided proponent testimony, stating the
Commission was neutral to the bill’s provisions relating to
removal of the name of the organizing sponsor’s treasurer
from paid advertisements, but was supportive of the bill’s
provisions relating to “paid for” attributions on electronic
communications because provisions in current law make
compliance with this requirement difficult or even impossible
in certain situations.
No neutral or opponent testimony was provided.


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Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, the Commission and the Office of the
Secretary of State indicate enactment of the bill would not
have a fiscal effect on agency operations.
Ethics; campaign finance; political advertisements


3- 2118


Statutes affected:
As introduced: 25-4156