Bill Text: IL HB4547 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Requires a covered website that implements a politically biased algorithm to file a report with the State Board of Elections that includes the candidate, political party, or question the algorithm was designed to promote or defeat and other information. Imposes a civil penalty on a covered website that fails to report. Allows the State Board of Elections to adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-06-23 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB4547 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2019-HB4547-Introduced.html
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1 | AN ACT concerning elections.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Election Code is amended by adding Section | |||||||||||||||||||
5 | 1A-60 as follows:
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6 | (10 ILCS 5/1A-60 new) | |||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 1A-60. Online platforms. | |||||||||||||||||||
8 | (a) As used in this Section: | |||||||||||||||||||
9 | "Covered website" means an online social network or search | |||||||||||||||||||
10 | engine that has 50,000,000 or more unique monthly United States | |||||||||||||||||||
11 | visitors or users for a majority of months during the | |||||||||||||||||||
12 | immediately preceding 12 months. | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | "Politically biased algorithm" means an algorithm that is | |||||||||||||||||||
14 | designed to promote the success or defeat of a candidate, | |||||||||||||||||||
15 | political party, or position on a question at an election by | |||||||||||||||||||
16 | causing a user of a covered website to view campaign material | |||||||||||||||||||
17 | or other content that: | |||||||||||||||||||
18 | (1) favors a particular candidate, political party, or | |||||||||||||||||||
19 | position on a question more frequently than campaign | |||||||||||||||||||
20 | material or content that favors the opposing candidate, | |||||||||||||||||||
21 | political party, or position on a question; or | |||||||||||||||||||
22 | (2) disfavors a particular candidate, political party, | |||||||||||||||||||
23 | or position on a question more frequently than campaign |
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1 | material or content that disfavors the opposing candidate, | ||||||
2 | political party, or position on a question. | ||||||
3 | (b)(1) A covered website that implements a politically | ||||||
4 | biased algorithm shall file a report with the State Board of | ||||||
5 | Elections within 7 days after implementing the algorithm. | ||||||
6 | (2) A covered website shall file an additional report on | ||||||
7 | every seventh day following the due date of the report required | ||||||
8 | under paragraph (1) covering the immediately preceding 7 days | ||||||
9 | if the covered website implemented a politically biased | ||||||
10 | algorithm during that period. | ||||||
11 | (c) Each report under this Section shall include: | ||||||
12 | (1) each candidate, political party, or question that | ||||||
13 | the politically biased algorithm was designed to promote or | ||||||
14 | defeat; | ||||||
15 | (2) the dates that the algorithm was in use; | ||||||
16 | (3) digital copies of the campaign material or other | ||||||
17 | content that the politically biased algorithm caused users | ||||||
18 | to view; | ||||||
19 | (4) the number of users exposed to campaign material or | ||||||
20 | other content generated by the politically biased | ||||||
21 | algorithm; | ||||||
22 | (5) any amount of money or other thing of value | ||||||
23 | received by the covered website from another person to | ||||||
24 | implement the politically biased algorithm; and | ||||||
25 | (6) any other information the State Board of Elections | ||||||
26 | requires by rule. |
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1 | (d)(1) The State Board of Elections may assess a civil | ||||||
2 | penalty on a covered website that fails to file a report | ||||||
3 | required under this Section in an amount not exceeding $50,000 | ||||||
4 | for each violation. | ||||||
5 | (2) A civil penalty under paragraph (1) shall be: | ||||||
6 | (A) assessed in the manner specified in Section 9-23; | ||||||
7 | (B) deposited into the General Revenue Fund; and | ||||||
8 | (C) the joint and several liability of: | ||||||
9 | (i) the covered website; and | ||||||
10 | (ii) the person exercising direction or control | ||||||
11 | over the activities of the covered website. | ||||||
12 | (e) The State Board of Elections may adopt rules necessary | ||||||
13 | to implement the provisions of this Section.
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