HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2910        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3921

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to honest online political advertisement disclosure and election interference.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

1/17/2019

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

1/28/2019

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

1/31/2019

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

2/1/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

2/2/2019

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

1/30/2019

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Liz Miranda

5th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/1/2019

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

1/30/2019

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Maria Duaime Robinson

6th Middlesex

1/29/2019

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

6/10/2019

Michelle L. Ciccolo

15th Middlesex

6/11/2019

Natalie M. Blais

1st Franklin

6/13/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2910        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3921

By Mr. LeBoeuf of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3921) of David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf and others relative to electioneering communication expenditures.  Election Laws.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act relative to honest online political advertisement disclosure and election interference.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. The first paragraph of section 18F of chapter 55 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:-

Every individual, group, association, corporation, labor union or other entity not defined as a political committee who makes an electioneering communication expenditure in an aggregate amount exceeding $250 during a calendar year shall electronically file with the director, within 7 days after making the expenditure, a report stating the name and address of the individual, group, association, corporation, labor union or other entity making the electioneering communication, the name of any candidate clearly identified in the communication, the total amount or value of the communication, the name and address of the vendor to whom the payments were made and the purpose and date of the expenditure; provided, that no individual, group, association, corporation, labor union or other entity not defined as a political committee shall expend funds except funds of a United States Citizen for the purpose of an electioneering communication expenditure made in relation to internet advertising; provided, that if electioneering communication expenditure was made in relation to internet advertising, the report shall also include the advertisement as delivered to the vendor, the demographic information of the advertising target and the 5 persons or entities or if fewer than 5 persons or entities, all persons or entities that made the largest contributions to that entity, regardless of the purpose for which the funds were given; provided further, that if an internet advertisement electioneering communication is removed from a website, the individual, group, association, corporation, labor union or other entity not defined as a political committee shall provide an electronic addendum to the report stating the reason for the removal provided by the website; and provided further, that if electioneering communication expenditure was made in relation to internet advertising, the report shall certify under the pains and penalties of perjury that the expenditure was paid for exclusively by United States citizens. 

SECTION 2. Chapter 55 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 18G the following section:-

Section 18H. The director shall establish an online public archive for internet advertising electioneering communications. The archive shall make available every electioneering communication that is an internet advertisement, the demographic information of the advertising target and the 5 persons or entities or if fewer than 5 persons or entities, all persons or entities that made the largest contributions to that entity, regardless of the purpose for which the funds were given. If an internet advertisement electioneering communication was removed from a website, the archive shall also make available the reason for removal provided by the website.

The director shall solicit public comment and promulgate rules and regulations regarding internet advertising electioneering communications on online platforms.