ALBANY – Legislation that requires that a “paid for by” statement be included in all political advertisements has been signed into law by Governor Cuomo.
The measure, sponsored by Senator James Skoufis (D-Woodbury) and Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski (D-Rockland), will apply to all political advertising where it is in print, is digital, visual or auditory.
Most states, including the federal government, already require that political communications disclose the sender’s identity. The new law looks to end anonymous mailings, giving voters the transparency that they deserve in the election process.
“Voters deserve full transparency when it comes to political communications – and now, finally, they’ll get it,” said Skoufis. “As someone who was previously targeted by anonymous campaign mailers and robocalls, I know first-hand the confusion caused by these deceptive practices, especially when messages come from seemingly legitimate sources with no ‘paid for by’ disclaimer. We all have a right to vote in honest and fair elections, and this new law is a significant step forward.”
“This bill finishes what we started with the Democracy Protection Act by ensuring voters are given crucial information about the campaign material that they receive,” said Zebrowski. “In this day and age of information overload, and when it seems that it is far easier to tear an opponent down than push yourself up, this bill will bring a critically needed element of honesty and disclosure in our political discourse.”
The new law will go into effect on January 1, 2020.
