Bill > HB417

This bill amends Georgia law to require clear identification on campaign advertising and literature. Specifically, it mandates that any communication intended to advocate for or against a candidate, whether through broadcast, print, mail, or other public means, must disclose its funding source. If paid for and authorized by a candidate or their campaign committee, it must state this. If paid for by others but authorized by a candidate's campaign, it must identify both the payer and the authorizing campaign. If not authorized by a candidate's campaign, it must clearly state the name and contact information of the person who paid for it and explicitly mention that it is not authorized by any candidate's campaign. Furthermore, the bill prohibits using a name or a close imitation of a name of an existing person or organization to endorse or publish campaign material without their authorization, defining "colorable imitation" as a name used to mislead readers into believing the material is from someone other than the actual source. Violators of these provisions will be guilty of a misdemeanor, which is a less serious criminal offense.