2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 17 - Elections › Chapter 17-25.3 - Independent Expenditures and Electioneering Communications › Section 17-25.3-3. - Disclaimers.

§ 17-25.3-3. Disclaimers.
(a)
No person, business entity or political action committee shall make or incur an independent expenditure or fund an electioneering communication 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 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 independent expenditure or electioneering communication, 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 (32) square feet.
(c)
No person, business entity or political action committee shall make or incur an independent expenditure or fund an electioneering communication 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 independent expenditure or electioneering communication, 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 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 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 independent expenditure or fund an electioneering communication 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 independent expenditure or electioneering communication, 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:
(A)
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
(B)
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 independent expenditure or fund an electioneering communication 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 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 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.
History of Section.
P.L. 2012, ch. 446, § 3.