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Elections: deceptive media in advertisements.

It became law on Sep 19, 2026.

CA AB 502 · Assembly Bill · 2025–2026

Stage
Became law
Started in
Assembly
Sponsors
2
Latest action
Sep 19, 2026

What it does

Existing law prohibits a person or entity from knowingly distributing an election communication containing materially deceptive content that portrays specified candidates and officials as doing or saying something that the candidate or official did not do or say if the content is reasonably likely to harm the reputation or electoral prospects of a candidate or is reasonably likely to falsely undermine confidence in the outcome of an election. Existing law applies this prohibition within 120 days of an election in California and, for content involving elections officials and voting machines and related equipment, up to 60 days after an election.

Read the full textRead it on the official site

Where it stands

This bill passed and is now law.

  1. Introduced (Done)

  2. Committee (Done)

  3. Floor (Done)

  4. Law (Done)

    Sep 19, 2026

What moved

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Who is involved

Sponsors

The lawmakers who put their names on it, lead sponsors first.

In the news

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Where it goes next

Once a bill is decided, the questions are about what is done with it in California.

Work with this bill

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