HB 112: Political Advertising Amendments - Utah

Substitute #2 → Substitute #3 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill version adds a coordination clause to align with a companion bill regarding political signs, clarifies that fines for disclosure violations apply once per advertisement regardless of how many times it is shown, and sets a specific effective date of May 6, 2026. It also includes a future amendment plan to expand the scope of fines to cover violations related to small items like lawn signs.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include a coordination clause referencing a companion bill on political signs, and the fine enforcement scope was clarified to cover all advertisements uniformly.

TECHNICAL

Added a coordination clause in Section 4 to ensure consistency between this bill on political advertising and a companion bill on political signs, with a planned future amendment to the fine structure.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified that fines for disclosure violations (Subsection 1 or 2) can be imposed only once per advertisement, regardless of how many times the ad is disseminated.

TIMELINE

Added an effective date of May 6, 2026, and a specific timeline for a future amendment to the fine provisions to take effect on January 1, 2027.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the Long Title and Special Clauses to explicitly mention the inclusion of a coordination clause and the amendment of provisions related to political advertising.

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's political advertising laws to explicitly include social media platforms in the definition of advertisements and electioneering communications. It clarifies disclosure rules for ads paid for by multiple people and introduces a new requirement to report electioneering communications within 24 hours. The bill also refines fine structures to limit penalties to one per violation and adds a process for individuals to contest fines.

Scope change

The scope of 'political advertising' and 'electioneering communication' was expanded to explicitly include social media platforms, ensuring these digital channels are subject to the same disclosure and reporting rules as traditional media.

DEFINITION

Added 'social media platform' to the list of media channels that constitute an 'Advertisement' and an 'Electioneering communication'.

Added a new definition for 'Local attorney' specifying which county, district, and city attorneys have jurisdiction over investigations.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that a single disclosure statement is sufficient for advertisements paid for by more than one person, simplifying compliance for multi-sponsor ads.

Added a mandatory requirement for non-reporting entities to file a report with the lieutenant governor within 24 hours of paying for an electioneering communication.

ENFORCEMENT

Modified fine limits to cap penalties at one fine per advertisement for disclosure violations and one fine per act or omission for other violations.

Added a new provision allowing individuals who receive fines a reasonable opportunity to contest the penalty using a preponderance of the evidence.

Introduced → Substitute #1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's political advertising laws to clarify rules for social media ads and simplify disclosure requirements when multiple people fund a single advertisement. It ensures that ads paid for by more than one person still clearly identify all payers and whether a candidate authorized the ad. The changes also update the Senate sponsor's name and correct a minor typo regarding the definition of electioneering communications.

Scope change

The scope of applicability was expanded to explicitly include social media platforms under the definition of electioneering communications and political advertisements, ensuring these digital channels are subject to the same disclosure rules as traditional media.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'Electioneering communication' to explicitly list 'internet' alongside other media, clarifying that online communications are covered.

REQUIREMENT

Added new requirements for advertisements paid for by more than one person, mandating a single statement that identifies all payers and the authorization status of the ad.

TECHNICAL

Corrected a typo in the definition of 'Electioneering communication' where 'Internet' was missing the lowercase 'i' in the new version.

Updated the Senate Sponsor name from 'LONG TITLE' to 'Ronald M. Winterton'.

TIMELINE

Changed the document timestamp from December 29, 2025, to January 22, 2026, likely reflecting a procedural update rather than a change in the bill's effective date.

Political Advertising Amendments

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