California Senate approves fines for influencers hiding paid political posts
California Senate passes bill fining influencers up to $5,000 for undisclosed paid political posts, bypassing slow court process.
The California Senate has approved legislation that would impose fines on social media influencers who fail to disclose payment for political content. The bill, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Marc Berman, targets posts supporting candidates or ballot measures.
California already requires content creators to include disclaimers on paid political posts, a rule shared with Texas. However, enforcement has been difficult. Under current law, the state's campaign watchdog must obtain a court order to compel disclosure, a process that can take months.
The new bill would grant the Fair Political Practices Commission direct authority to fine influencers and political committees for violations, bypassing the court system. Content creators could face penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.
"Voters should have a right to know whether or not campaigns are paying for the messaging that they're seeing," Berman said in a recent interview.
The commission supports the proposal. The bill now returns to the Assembly for a final vote before reaching Governor Gavin Newsom's desk. Newsom has until the end of September to sign or veto the measure.
The state action comes as federal efforts remain stalled. Senator Adam Schiff introduced a similar disclosure bill in Congress last month, but it has not yet received a vote.