H 359 — ELECTIONS – Amends existing law to require the disclosure of political affiliation in certain election communications.

359359, As Amended BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS;

(2)(a)(2) Every candidate in any partisan election shall includedisclose the politicalpolit- ical party affiliation of such candidatecandidate, if any, in all election communicationscommunica- tions made by such candidatecandidate, inexcept any partisanelection election.communication included on stickers or any item designed to be worn by a person.

(b)The Allcandidate's electionparty communicationsaffiliation thatdisclosure supportshall orbe opposeprominently adisplayed candidatewithin ineach a partisan election andcommunication. that are funded in full or in part by any indepen - dent expenditures shall prominently state the political affiliation of the candidate being supported or opposed.

(c)For Thethe disclosurepurposes of this section, "party affiliation" means the written name of the political party affiliationsuch incandidate electionis communicationsregistered pursuantwith toor thisa subsectionvisual shalldepiction beof stateda prominentlycommonly asrecognizable follows:symbol that represents such political party.

"[name of candidate], [party affiliation]".

If the candidate for par - tisan office is running as a candidate with no party affiliation, the election communication of the candidate shall state that the candidate has no party affiliation or state prominently as follows:

"indepen- dent".

(3) The provisions of subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to:

(a) Editorial endorsement by any newspaper, radio, television station, or other recognized news medium;

or (b) Any election communication:

(i) Designed to be worn by a person;

(ii) Placed as a paid internet link on an internet website, as long as the message or advertisement is no more than two hundred (200) characters in length and the internet link directs the user to an - other internet website that complies with subsection (2) of this section;

(iii) Placed as a graphic or picture internet link where com- pliance with the requirements of this section is not reasonably practical due to the size of the graphic or picture internet link and the internet link directs the user to another internet website that complies with subsection (2) of this section;

(iv) Placed at no cost on an internet website for which there is no cost to post content for public users;

(v) Placed or distributed on an unpaid profile or account that is available to the public without charge or on a social network - ing internet website, as long as the source of the message or ad - vertisement is patently clear from the content or format of the message or advertisement.

A candidate may prominently display a statement indicating that the profile or account is an official profile or account of the candidate and is approved by the candi - date.

A profile or account may not be marked as official without prior approval by the candidate;

(vi) Connected with or included in any software application or accompanying function, provided that the user signs up, opts in, downloads, or otherwise accesses the application from or through a website that complies with subsection (2) of this section;

(vii) Sent by a third-party user from or through a candidate's cam- paign website or political committee's website, provided the web - site complies with subsection (2) of this section;

or (viii) Contained in or distributed through any other technology- related item, service, or device for which compliance with sub- section (2) of this section is not reasonably practical due to the size or nature of such item, service, or device as available, or the means of displaying the message or advertisement makes compli- ance with subsection (2) of this section impracticable.