# Vermont S.23: An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections Vermont S.23, An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections, is a 2025-2026 Session Senate bill sponsored by Ruth E Hardy (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-03-11 (Senate Message: Signed by Governor March 5, 2026) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-S23-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Vermont S.23 - State: Vermont - Session: 2025-2026 Session - Title: An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-22 - Last action: 2026-03-11, Senate Message: Signed by Governor March 5, 2026 - Sponsor: Ruth E Hardy (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 6 - Touches household money: no - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Candidates can seek orders stopping deceptive media: benefit, low. Beginning March 5, 2026, affected candidates can ask a court to stop deceptive synthetic media shared in violation of the disclosure rule. This applies when the media misrepresents a candidate’s appearance, speech, conduct, or surroundings. Courts can order people to stop publishing, communicating,… - Election media violators face new fines: cost, low. Beginning March 5, 2026, knowing and intentional violations of the synthetic-media election rules carry fines up to $1,000. The maximum rises to $5,000 when the person intends to cause violence or bodily harm. It rises to $10,000 when the violation occurs within five years after one or more earlier… - Election investigations gain powers and penalties: mixed, low. Beginning March 5, 2026, Vermont’s Attorney General and State’s Attorneys gain civil investigation and enforcement powers under the election chapter. They can investigate when there is reason to believe someone is violating or has violated the chapter. Officials can examine relevant records, demand… - Labels required for deceptive election media: mixed, low. Beginning March 5, 2026, people who knowingly share deceptive synthetic media must label it within 90 days before a Vermont election. Synthetic media includes digitally created or changed images, audio, or video, including content made with artificial intelligence. The rule covers realistic-looking… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ruth E Hardy (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Alison Clarkson (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Anne E Watson (Democrat/Progressive), Senate - Cosponsor: Brian P Collamore (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Rebecca "Becca" E White (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Robert W Norris (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Tanya C Vyhovsky (Democrat/Progressive), Senate ## Bill text - As Enacted (ACT 75)Opens in a new window, 2026-03-09: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/ACTS/ACT075/ACT075%20As%20Enacted.pdf) - As Passed by Both Chambers, 2026-02-24: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 As Passed by Both House and Senate Official.pdf) - As Passed by Both Chambers (Unofficial), 2026-02-24: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 As Passed by Both House and Senate Unofficial.pdf) - House Proposal of Amendment, 2025-06-18: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 House proposal of amendment Official.pdf) - House Proposal of Amendment (Unofficial), 2025-06-18: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 House Proposal of Amendment Unofficial.pdf) - As Passed by the Senate, 2025-03-21: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 As passed by the Senate Official.pdf) - As Passed by the Senate (Unofficial), 2025-03-21: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 As Passed by the Senate Unofficial.pdf) - As Introduced, 2025-01-21: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 As Introduced.pdf) ## Related bills - H.955: An act relating to next steps in transforming Vermont’s education system (signed) - H.951: An act relating to making appropriations for the support of the government (signed) - H.957: An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Williston (signed) - H.952: An act relating to capital construction and State bonding budget adjustment (signed) - H.921: An act relating to alcoholic beverages (signed) - H.915: An act relating to establishing an extended producer responsibility program for beverage containers (signed) ## Sources - [As Enacted (ACT 75)Opens in a new window (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/ACTS/ACT075/ACT075%20As%20Enacted.pdf) - [As Passed by Both Chambers (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 As Passed by Both House and Senate Official.pdf) - [As Passed by Both Chambers (Unofficial) (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 As Passed by Both House and Senate Unofficial.pdf) - [House Proposal of Amendment (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 House proposal of amendment Official.pdf) - [House Proposal of Amendment (Unofficial) (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 House Proposal of Amendment Unofficial.pdf) - [As Passed by the Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 As passed by the Senate Official.pdf) - [As Passed by the Senate (Unofficial) (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 As Passed by the Senate Unofficial.pdf) - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023 As Introduced.pdf) ## Related - [H.955: An act relating to next steps in transforming Vermont’s education system](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-H955-2026) - [H.951: An act relating to making appropriations for the support of the government](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-H951-2026) - [H.957: An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Willist…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-H957-2026) - [H.952: An act relating to capital construction and State bonding budget adjustment](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-H952-2026) - [H.921: An act relating to alcoholic beverages](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-H921-2026) - [H.915: An act relating to establishing an extended producer responsibility program for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-H915-2026) - [Vermont bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/vermont/bills) - [Vermont state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/vermont) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-S23-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).