Whitmer signs election bills, including new regulations of AI in ads
eu.freep.com
Bills signed by Whitmer expand the ability to preregister to vote to younger voters and make it a crime to intimidate election workers.

Okay, okay, seriously…

The bills she signed make it a crime to intimidate election workers, requiring disclaimers in political advertisements that include content generated using artificial intelligence and enabling 16-year-olds to preregister to vote.

A pair of bills signed by Whitmer make it a crime to intimidate election officials and workers, making an initial offense a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days of imprisonment, a fine of up to $500 or both. A third or subsequent offense would constitute a felony with a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan recalled at the signing ceremony the chaos Detroit election workers endured at the convention center where they processed absentee ballots amid a swarm of election challengers demanding they stop the count in 2020. Duggan applauded the new legislation included in the package of election bills approved by Whitmer.

Another series of bills Whitmer signed makes Michigan the fifth state in the U.S. to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in elections, according to Benson. The bills require the disclosure in political advertisements of such technology and lay out punishments for any violations. They also make it a crime to knowingly distribute with the intent of harming a candidate’s electoral prospects and swaying voters “materially deceptive media” produced with artificial intelligence without any disclaimer leading up to an election. A first violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days’ imprisonment, a $500 fine or both. A second violation within five years is a felony punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine of $1,000 or both.

Previously on /c/michigan@midwest.social…

Get the Governor another pen, for Pete’s sakes! ✍

  • raoulraoulOPMEnglish
    4·
    7 months ago

    From The Detroit News: Whitmer signs bills criminalizing election official intimidation, curbing AI in campaigns

    “In Michigan, we are proving through our actions that we stand for fundamental American values of freedom and democracy,” Whitmer said.

    The legislation would require campaigns to clearly state when a political advertisement was created using artificial intelligence and would prohibit use of AI-generate deepfakes within 90 days of an election without a disclosure indicating the footage was manipulated. The measure is meant to prevent AI-generated footage meant to impersonate a candidate or manipulate what they’ve said.

    Additional legislation signed Thursday makes it a crime to intimidate an election official with the intent to interfere with their election-related duties. First and second offenses are treated as misdemeanors, but a third or subsequent offense carries a felony charge. Intimidation, under the law, is defined as actions meant to cause someone to fear injury or to actually injure an individual; the definition excludes “constitutionally protected activity or conduct that serves a legitimate purpose.”