H 7977Elections & Voting

Elections - Ballot Question Advocacy and Reporting

This bill requires groups advertising about ballot questions to disclose their identity and their top five donors in their ads.

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Affected

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Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee House State Government & Elections

Plain-English Summary

This legislation introduces new transparency requirements for organizations advocating for or against ballot questions. It mandates that advertisements—whether in print, television, radio, or online—include a clear "Paid for by" disclaimer identifying the organization and its chief executive. Furthermore, tax-exempt organizations and non-profits must list their top five donors from the previous year on these advertisements. The bill specifies how these disclaimers must appear or be spoken in various media formats, including a requirement for the CEO to state they approved the message. Small items like buttons and signs under 32 square feet are exempt.

For younger readers

When people vote, they sometimes vote on new rules called "ballot questions." Sometimes, groups of people collect money to pay for TV commercials or signs to tell voters to vote "yes" or "no." This new law says that these groups must be honest and tell everyone exactly who they are in their ads. Also, if they are a big group, they have to list the names of the five people who gave them the most money. This helps voters know who is paying for the message they are seeing or hearing.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Ballot question advocatesPolitical Action Committees (PACs)Non-profit organizationsMedia outlets (TV, Radio, Internet)Political donors

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

Moderate risk

Moderate Risk. The Supreme Court has generally upheld disclosure requirements in the interest of election integrity (*Citizens United*). However, compelled disclosure of donors for non-profits can be challenged on First Amendment freedom of association grounds (*Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta*), particularly if the disclosure requirement is not narrowly tailored or if it exposes donors to threats and harassment. The specific requirement to list donors on the face of the ad is a form of compelled speech.

Estimated cost

None

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Increases transparency in the democratic process by exposing "dark money" and forcing organizations to reveal who is funding their efforts to influence state laws.
Empowers voters to make more informed decisions at the ballot box by understanding the financial motivations and special interests behind specific ballot initiatives.
Promotes systemic reform by holding corporations and wealthy donors accountable, preventing them from hiding behind vague non-profit names while influencing public policy.
Could potentially discourage donations to controversial but necessary social justice causes due to donors' fear of public exposure or harassment.
May impose administrative burdens on smaller, grassroots progressive organizations that lack the legal resources to navigate complex reporting and disclaimer requirements.
The focus on the "top five donors" might distract voters from the actual merit of the policy being proposed, shifting the focus to personalities rather than the issue itself.

For Conservatives

Ensures that voters are aware of who is funding political speech, potentially exposing the influence of out-of-state interests or liberal billionaires attempting to change state laws.
Upholds the rule of law by establishing clear, standardized guidelines for political advertising, ensuring that all political actors play by the same rules.
Provides accountability for tax-exempt organizations that engage in political activity, ensuring they cannot operate entirely in the shadows while enjoying tax benefits.
Violates the First Amendment rights of donors to support causes anonymously, potentially subjecting them to "cancel culture" and harassment for their political views.
Imposes heavy-handed government regulations on private organizations, restricting their freedom of speech and how they choose to communicate their messages.
Creates a chilling effect on free speech by making political participation more risky and bureaucratic for private citizens and business owners.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 78 additions

SECTION 1. Chapter 17-25.2 of the General Laws entitled "Ballot Question Advocacy and Reporting" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 17-25.2-7.1. Disclaimers.

(a) No ballot question advocate shall make or incur an expenditure for any written, typed, or other printed communication, unless such communication bears upon its face the words "Paid for by" and the name of the person, entity, the name of its chief executive officer or equivalent, and its principal business address. In the case of a person, business entity or political action committee making or incurring such an expenditure, which entity is a tax-exempt organization under § 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (other than an organization described in § 501(c)(3) of such Code) or an exempt nonprofit as defined in § 17-25-3, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or an organization organized under Section 527 of said code, such communication shall also bear upon its face the words "Top Five Donors" followed by a list of the five (5) persons or entities making the largest aggregate donations to such person, business entity or political action committee during the twelve (12) month period before the date of such communication; provided that, no donor shall be listed who is not required to be disclosed in a report to the board of elections by the person, business entity, or political action committee.

(b) The provisions of subsections (a) of this section shall not apply to:

(1) Any editorial, news story, or commentary published in any newspaper, magazine or journal on its own behalf and upon its own responsibility and for which it does not charge or receive any compensation whatsoever;

(2) Political paraphernalia including pins, buttons, badges, emblems, hats, bumper stickers or other similar materials; or

(3) Signs or banners with a surface area of not more than thirty-two square feet (32 ft2).

(c) No person, business entity or political action committee shall make or incur an expenditure for paid television advertising or paid Internet video advertising, unless at the end of such advertising there appears simultaneously, for a period of not less than four (4) seconds:

(1) A clearly identifiable video, photographic or similar image of the entity's chief executive officer or equivalent; and

(2) A personal audio message, in the following form: "I am (name of entity's chief executive officer or equivalent), (title) of (entity), and I approved its content."

(3) In the case of a person, business entity or political action committee making or incurring such an expenditure, which person, business entity or political action committee is a tax-exempt organization under § 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (other than an organization described in § 501(c)(3) of such Code) or an exempt nonprofit as defined in § 17-25-3, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code if the United States, as amended from time to time, or an organization organized under Section 527 of said code, such advertising shall also include a written message in the following form: "The top five (5) donors to the organization responsible for this advertisement are" followed by a list of the five (5) persons or entities making the largest aggregate donations during the twelve (12) month period before the date of such advertisement; provided that, no donor shall be listed who is not required to be disclosed in a report to the board of elections by the person, business entity, or political action committee.

(d) No person, business entity or political action committee shall make or incur an expenditure for paid radio advertising or paid Internet audio advertising, unless the advertising ends with a personal audio statement by the entity's chief executive officer or equivalent:

(1) Identifying the entity paying for the expenditure; and

(2) A personal audio message, in the following form: "I am (name of entity's chief executive officer or equivalent), (title), of (entity), and I approved its content."

(3) In the case of a person, business entity or political action committee making or incurring such an expenditure, which entity is a tax-exempt organization under § 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (other than an organization described in § 501(c)(3) of such Code) or an exempt nonprofit as defined in § 17-25-3, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or an organization organized under Section 527 of said code, such advertising shall also include:

(i) An audio message in the following form: "The top five (5) donors to the organization responsible for this advertisement are" followed by a list of the five (5) persons or entities making the largest aggregate donations during the twelve (12) month period before the date of such advertisement; provided that, no donor shall be listed who is not required to be disclosed in a report to the board of elections by the person, business entity, or political action committee; or

(ii) In the case of such an advertisement that is thirty (30) seconds in duration or shorter, an audio message providing a website address that lists such five (5) persons or entities, provided that no contributor shall be listed who is not required to be disclosed in a report to the board of elections by the person, business entity, or political action committee. In such case, the person, business entity or political action committee shall establish and maintain such a website with such listing for the entire period during which such person, business entity or political action committee makes such advertisement.

(e) No person, business entity or political action committee shall make or incur an expenditure for automated telephone calls, unless the narrative of the telephone call identifies the person, business entity or political action committee making the expenditure and its chief executive officer or equivalent. In the case of a person, business entity or political action committee making or incurring such an independent expenditure, which entity is a tax-exempt organization under§ 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of I 986 (other than an organization described in § 501(c)(3) of such Code) or an exempt nonprofit as defined in § 17-25-3, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or an organization organized under Section 527 of said code, such narrative shall also include an audio message in the following form: "The top five (5) donors to the organization responsible for this telephone call are" followed by a list of the five (5) persons or entities making the largest aggregate donations during the twelve (12) month period before the date of such telephone call; provided that, no donor shall be listed who is not required to be disclosed in a report to the board of elections by the person, business entity, or political action committee.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.