S.23 (Act 75)

An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Sponsors: Sen. Ruth Hardy, , Sen. Alison Clarkson, Sen. Brian Collamore, Sen. Robert Norris, Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky, Sen. Anne Watson, Sen. Rebecca White,

Last Recorded Action: 3/11/2026 - Senate Message: Signed by Governor March 5, 2026

Committee Activity - Meeting Full List

Regular Session 2025-2026

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

3:30 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
Wendy Mays, Executive Director, Vermont Association of Broadcasters

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

1:15 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Sen. Ruth Hardy, Sponsor

2:30 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
Ilana Beller, Organizing Manager, Democracy Team, Public Citizen
Wendy Mays, Executive Director, Vermont Association of Broadcasters
Dylan Zwicky, Leonine Public Affairs, Partner

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

2:30 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Lauren Hibbert, Deputy Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office
Sean Sheehan, Director of Elections and Campaign Finance, Secretary of State's Office
Sarah Copeland Hanzas, Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office

Friday, February 7, 2025

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

2:30 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Dylan Zwicky, Leonine Public Affairs, Partner, New England Connectivity and Telecommunications Association
Nicholas Sherman, Government Relations Director, AT&T

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

1:30 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
Paul Burns, Executive Director, Vermont Public Interest Research Group
Dylan Zwicky, Leonine Public Affairs, Partner, New England Connectivity and Telecommunications Association
Chris Gilrein, Executive Director, Massachusetts and Northeast TechNet

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

3:30 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Julia Zimmerman, Doctoral Candidate, University of Vermont

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

3:00 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Lauren Hibbert, Deputy Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office
Todd Daloz, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, Attorney General's Office
Wendy Mays, Executive Director, Vermont Association of Broadcasters
Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

3:30 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Friday, March 14, 2025

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

1:00 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Vote

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
Wendy Mays, Executive Director, Vermont Association of Broadcasters

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

2:15 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale
Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

10:35 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Introduction and walk-through

Sen. Brian Collamore, Reporter, Senate Committee on Government Operations
Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

10:35 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Testimony

Sean Sheehan, Director of Elections and Campaign Finance, Secretary of State's Office
Quinn Houston, Democracy Associate, Vermont Public Interest Research Group
Dylan Zwicky, Leonine Public Affairs, Partner, New England Connectivity and Telecommunications Association
Wendy Mays, Executive Director, Vermont Association of Broadcasters

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

10:45 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Testimony

Leslie Welts, Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the General Counsel and Administrative Law Division, Attorney General's Office
Ilana Beller, Organizing Manager, Democracy Team, Public Citizen

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

9:30 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Testimony

Adam Kuckuk, Policy Associate, Elections and Redistricting, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
Wendy Underhill, Director, Elections and Redistricting, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
Falko Schilling, Advocacy Director, ACLU of Vermont

Friday, April 25, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

11:30 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Walk-through of amendment

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

2:30 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Walk-through and discussion

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

9:35 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Walk-through of draft 2.1 and testimony

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
Leslie Welts, Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the General Counsel and Administrative Law Division, Attorney General's Office
Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Friday, May 9, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

1:00 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Walk-through of new draft and discussion

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

10:30 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Discussion

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

11:00 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Discussion and possible vote

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

1:00 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Executive session

John Kidder, Director of Information Operations Research, Norwich University Applied Research Institutes
Phil Susmann, President, Norwich University Applied Research Institutes
Sherman Patrick, Vice President of Strategy, Norwich University Applied Research Institutes

2:05 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Testimony

Lauren Hibbert, Deputy Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office
Todd Daloz, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, Attorney General's Office

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

9:30 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Discussion and vote

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
Lauren Hibbert, Deputy Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

9:12 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Discussion and straw-poll of Waters Evans Amendment

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Thursday, January 15, 2026

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

1:30 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
Rep. Chea Waters Evans, Ranking Member, House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs

Friday, January 16, 2026

Committee(s):

Senate Committee on Government Operations,

2:00 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Vote

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
Rep. Chea Waters Evans, Ranking Member, House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

10:05 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Witness testimony

Sen. Brian Collamore, Chair, Senate Committee on Government Operations
Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Committee(s):

House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs,

1:00 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Committee Discussion

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Committee(s):

Committee of Conference,

8:30 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Walk-through and mark up

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

9:00 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Committee Discussion

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Committee(s):

Committee of Conference,

11:30 AM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Committee discussion

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

12:10 PM

S.23 - An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

Committee Discussion and vote

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel