WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 1 REQUIREMENT TYPE
How Is This Bill Enforced
Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.
(1) 1 Automatic tabulating equipment, ballot marking devices, and optical scan voting systems approved for use in this state shall not utilize artificial intelligenceartificial intelligence"artificial intelligence" means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.Iowa Code § 52.7(2).
(2) For the purposes of this section, "artificial intelligenceartificial intelligence"artificial intelligence" means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.Iowa Code § 52.7(2)" means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.
This section categorically prohibits the use of artificial intelligence in the three types of voting equipment approved for use in Iowa: automatic tabulating equipment, ballot marking devices, and optical scan voting systems. The prohibition is absolute — no exception, safe harbor, or waiver mechanism is provided. The section also supplies the bill's operative definition of artificial intelligence, which is referenced by subsequent sections.
5(a) 2 Published material generated through the use of artificial intelligenceartificial intelligence"artificial intelligence" means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.Iowa Code § 52.7(2) and designed to expressly advocate the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate for public office or the passage or defeat of a ballot issue must contain a disclosure on the published material that the published material was generated using artificial intelligenceartificial intelligence"artificial intelligence" means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.Iowa Code § 52.7(2).
5(b) Notwithstanding section 68A.701, a person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class "D" felony.
5(c) For the purposes of this subsection, "artificial intelligenceartificial intelligence"artificial intelligence" means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.Iowa Code § 52.7(2)" means as defined in section 52.7.
This new subsection of Iowa's campaign finance law requires that any published material generated through artificial intelligence and designed to expressly advocate for or against a candidate or ballot issue must carry a disclosure stating the material was generated using artificial intelligence. Violation is a class "D" felony, notwithstanding the general penalty provisions of § 68A.701, making this one of the more severe state-level penalties for failure to disclose AI-generated political content.
6(a) 3 Published material designed to expressly advocate the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate for public office or the passage or defeat of a ballot issue that includes a materially deceptivematerially deceptivepublished material is materially deceptive if it has been manipulated to change the physical appearance of a candidate or depict a candidate performing an act that did not occur, or, in the case of an image, if it has been altered to change the saturation, brightness, contrast, color, or other visible quality of an image of a candidate.Iowa Code § 68A.405(6)(b) depiction of a candidate must include a statement that the published material has been manipulated.
6(b) For the purposes of this subsection, published material is materially deceptivematerially deceptivepublished material is materially deceptive if it has been manipulated to change the physical appearance of a candidate or depict a candidate performing an act that did not occur, or, in the case of an image, if it has been altered to change the saturation, brightness, contrast, color, or other visible quality of an image of a candidate.Iowa Code § 68A.405(6)(b) if it has been manipulated to change the physical appearance of a candidate or depict a candidate performing an act that did not occur, or, in the case of an image, if it has been altered to change the saturation, brightness, contrast, color, or other visible quality of an image of a candidate.
6(c) Notwithstanding section 68A.701, a person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class "D" felony.
This subsection requires that published political advocacy material containing a materially deceptive depiction of a candidate include a statement that the material has been manipulated. Unlike subsection (5), this obligation is not limited to AI-generated content — it applies to any manipulated depiction regardless of the method used to create it. The definition of materially deceptive covers alterations to a candidate's physical appearance, depictions of acts that did not occur, and image-level adjustments such as changes to saturation, brightness, contrast, or color. Violation is also a class "D" felony.
4 A person shall not make or publish, or cause to be made or published, a false representation about a candidate or ballot issue that is intended to or actually affects voting at an election.
This section creates a standalone prohibition on making or publishing — or causing to be made or published — a false representation about a candidate or ballot issue that is intended to or actually affects voting at an election. Unlike the disclosure obligations in § 68A.405(5) and (6), this is a substantive prohibition on false electoral speech, not a labeling requirement. By operation of existing § 68A.701, violation is a serious misdemeanor carrying up to one year confinement and a fine of $430–$2,560. The provision is not limited to AI-generated content.