2025 Regular SessionVirginia Legislature

SB775: Political campaign advertisements; synthetic media, penalty.

Legislative Summary

Elections; political campaign advertisements; synthetic media; penalty. Prohibits electioneering communications containing synthetic media, as those terms are defined in the bill, from being published or broadcast without containing the following conspicuously displayed statement: "This message contains synthetic media that has been altered from its original source or artificially generated and may present conduct or speech that did not occur." The bill creates a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 for a violation of such prohibition and, for a willful violation, a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill permits any registered voter who receives an electioneering communication in violation of this requirement to institute an action for preventative relief to prohibit the publication or dissemination of such electioneering communication, including an application for a permanent or temporary injunction. This bill is identical to HB 2479.

Demographic Impact

Overall analysis of equity impact

60% Positive
Medium ConfidenceView detailed demographic breakdown ↓

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Bill History

12/24/2024
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25101007D
Senate
12/24/2024
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
Senate
1/28/2025
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (8-Y 7-N)
Senate
1/29/2025
Committee substitute printed 25105386D--S1
Senate
1/30/2025
Rereferred to Courts of Justice
Senate
2/3/2025
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (8-Y 5-N 2-A)
Senate
2/3/2025
Committee substitute printed 25106671D-S2
Senate
2/4/2025
Rules suspended
Senate
2/4/2025
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N)
Senate
2/4/2025
Read second time
Senate
2/4/2025
Privileges and Elections Substitute rejected
Senate
2/4/2025
Reading of substitute waived
Senate
2/4/2025
Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
Senate
2/4/2025
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
Senate
2/4/2025
Rules suspended
Senate
2/4/2025
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N)
Senate
2/4/2025
Passed Senate (23-Y 17-N)
Senate
2/7/2025
Placed on Calendar
House of Delegates
2/7/2025
Read first time
House of Delegates
2/7/2025
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
House of Delegates
2/7/2025
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB775)
Senate
2/14/2025
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (15-Y 7-N)
House of Delegates
2/14/2025
Committee substitute printed 25107386D-H1
House of Delegates
2/18/2025
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB775)
Senate
2/18/2025
Read second time
House of Delegates
2/19/2025
Read third time
House of Delegates
2/19/2025
Privileges and Elections Substitute agreed to
House of Delegates
2/19/2025
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
House of Delegates
2/19/2025
Passed House with substitute (72-Y 25-N)
House of Delegates
2/20/2025
House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 39-N)
Senate
2/20/2025
House insisted on substitute
House of Delegates
2/20/2025
House requested conference committee
House of Delegates
2/20/2025
Senate acceded to request (38-Y 0-N)
Senate
2/20/2025
Conferees appointed by Senate
Senate
2/20/2025
Senators: Surovell, VanValkenburg, Suetterlein
Senate
2/20/2025
Conferees appointed by House
House of Delegates
2/20/2025
Delegates: Sickles, Price, Bloxom
House of Delegates
2/22/2025
Amended by conference committee
2/22/2025
Conference substitute printed 25108004D-S3
Senate
2/22/2025
Conference report agreed to by House (71-Y 25-N)
House of Delegates
2/22/2025
Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 18-N)
Senate
2/24/2025
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB775)
Senate
3/7/2025
Enrolled
Senate
3/7/2025
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB775ER)
Senate
3/7/2025
Signed by Speaker
House of Delegates
3/10/2025
Signed by President
Senate
3/10/2025
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB775)
Senate
3/11/2025
Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025
Senate
3/11/2025
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025
3/25/2025
Vetoed by Governor
4/2/2025
Passed by for the day
Senate
4/2/2025
Senate sustained Governor's veto
Senate

Amendments

Privileges and Elections Amendment

Privileges and Elections Amendment

Not Adopted

Roll Call Votes

Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 18-N)
2/22/2025
22
Yea
18
Nay
0
Not Voting
0
Absent
Result: PASSED
Conference report agreed to by House (71-Y 25-N)
2/22/2025
71
Yea
25
Nay
0
Not Voting
4
Absent
Result: PASSED
House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 39-N)
2/20/2025
0
Yea
39
Nay
0
Not Voting
1
Absent
Result: FAILED
Senate acceded to request (38-Y 0-N)
2/20/2025
38
Yea
0
Nay
0
Not Voting
2
Absent
Result: PASSED
Passed House with substitute (72-Y 25-N)
2/19/2025
72
Yea
25
Nay
0
Not Voting
3
Absent
Result: PASSED
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (15-Y 7-N)
2/14/2025
15
Yea
7
Nay
0
Not Voting
0
Absent
Result: PASSED
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N)
2/4/2025
40
Yea
0
Nay
0
Not Voting
0
Absent
Result: PASSED
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N)
2/4/2025
40
Yea
0
Nay
0
Not Voting
0
Absent
Result: PASSED
Passed Senate (23-Y 17-N)
2/4/2025
23
Yea
17
Nay
0
Not Voting
0
Absent
Result: PASSED
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (8-Y 5-N 2-A)
2/3/2025
8
Yea
5
Nay
2
Not Voting
0
Absent
Result: PASSED
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (8-Y 7-N)
1/28/2025
8
Yea
7
Nay
0
Not Voting
0
Absent
Result: PASSED

Status Information

Current Status
Vetoed(3/25/2025)
Chamber
Senate

Sponsors

Democrat: 2

Primary Sponsor

Scott Surovell
Scott Surovell
Democrat

Co-Sponsors (1)

Documents

Enrolled
Bill Text3/7/202541.8 KB
Comm Sub
Bill Text2/22/202542.0 KB
Comm Sub
Bill Text2/14/202525.0 KB
Comm Sub
Bill Text2/14/202524.9 KB
Comm Sub
Bill Text2/3/202526.9 KB
Comm Sub
Bill Text2/3/202526.7 KB
Comm Sub
Bill Text1/29/20259.2 KB
Comm Sub
Bill Text1/27/20259.2 KB
Introduced
Bill Text12/24/202410.7 KB
Misc
Misc3/24/20252.0 KB
Fiscal Note/Analysis
Fiscal Note/Analysis3/10/2025113.6 KB
Fiscal Note/Analysis
Fiscal Note/Analysis2/24/2025114.2 KB
Misc
Misc2/22/20252.8 KB
Fiscal Note/Analysis
Fiscal Note/Analysis2/18/2025114.0 KB
Fiscal Note/Analysis
Fiscal Note/Analysis2/7/2025117.0 KB