True Source of Communication

Sec. 255.004. TRUE SOURCE OF COMMUNICATION. (a) A person commits an offense if, with intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election, the person enters into a contract or other agreement to print, publish, or broadcast political advertising that purports to emanate from a source other than its true source. (b) A person commits an offense if, with intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election, the person knowingly represents in a campaign communication that the communication emanates from a source other than its true source. (c) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. (d) A person commits an offense if the person, with intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election: (1) creates a deep fake video; and (2) causes the deep fake video to be published or distributed within 30 days of an election. (e) In this section, "deep fake video" means a video, created with the intent to deceive, that appears to depict a real person performing an action that did not occur in reality. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 899, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by: Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1339 (S.B. 751), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.