Establishes requirements for certain communications relating to an election. (BDR 24-487)
Summary
AB 73 amends Nevada’s campaign-practices laws to require disclosures on certain election-related communications that use synthetic media. The bill applies to communications made or paid for by candidates, campaign committees, political action committees, political parties, and other specified persons or organizations when the communication supports or opposes a candidate, group of candidates, or political party, addresses political or social issues with the intent to influence an election, or solicits campaign contributions. If such a communication includes synthetic media, it must clearly and conspicuously state: “This (image/video/audio) has been manipulated.”
The bill defines synthetic media broadly to cover intentionally manipulated images, audio, or video created with generative adversarial networks, artificial intelligence, or generative artificial intelligence that creates a realistic but false depiction of a person’s appearance, speech, or conduct. It also sets format-specific disclosure rules, including requiring the notice to appear throughout a video and, for audio-only communications, to be spoken at the beginning and end and at least every two minutes in longer recordings. The law takes effect January 1, 2026.
Impact
AB 73 adds new disclosure requirements to Chapter 294A of the Nevada Revised Statutes governing election communications and campaign advertising. It creates a private enforcement remedy allowing a depicted candidate to seek an injunction or other equitable relief in district court against the person or campaign entity responsible for a noncompliant communication. The bill also expressly limits liability for internet and communications infrastructure providers, broadcasters, cable/satellite operators, and creators of satire or parody, while leaving the disclosure obligation on the political speaker or sponsor.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and little recorded opposition. It passed the Assembly 42-0 and the Senate 21-0, indicating unanimous approval in both chambers. The available record suggests general agreement that election-related synthetic media should be labeled so voters are not misled by manipulated audio, video, or images.
Contention
The main policy issue underlying AB 73 is how to regulate AI-generated or altered political content without burdening legitimate speech or imposing liability on intermediaries. The bill addresses that concern by limiting liability to the person or campaign entity that made or paid for the communication, while exempting service providers, broadcasters, and satire or parody. Another potential point of tension is the scope of the definition of synthetic media and the practical burden of ensuring compliant disclosures across different media formats, especially audio and video ads.