---
type: "Bill"
title: "An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections"
description: "An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections"
jurisdiction: "us/states/vt"
legislature: "Vermont General Assembly"
session: "2025-2026"
identifier: "S 23"
citation: "Vermont S 23 (2025-2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Ruth Hardy"]
version_count: 9
action_count: 67
vote_count: 0
first_action: "2025-01-22"
last_action: "2026-03-11"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/37e3df20-bc61-4606-9e79-169dd98e8a0e"
source_url: "http://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/loadBillDetailedStatus/2026/123"
source_hash: "76858fcdd4005ee3aeed90393bafb30628a70ad614272b60a4de4abb872aa40b"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-vt"]
---

# Vermont S 23 (2025-2026) — An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **As Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023%20As%20Introduced.pdf)
2. **Act Summary** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/ACTS/ACT075/ACT075%20Act%20Summary.pdf)
3. **As Enacted** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/ACTS/ACT075/ACT075%20As%20Enacted.pdf)
4. **As Passed By the Senate (Official)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023%20As%20passed%20by%20the%20Senate%20Official.pdf)
5. **As Passed By the Senate (Unofficial)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023%20As%20Passed%20by%20the%20Senate%20Unofficial.pdf)
6. **As Passed by Both House and Senate (Official)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023%20As%20Passed%20by%20Both%20House%20and%20Senate%20Official.pdf)
7. **As Passed by Both House and Senate (Unofficial)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023%20As%20Passed%20by%20Both%20House%20and%20Senate%20Unofficial.pdf)
8. **House Proposal of Amendment (Official)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023%20House%20proposal%20of%20amendment%20Official.pdf)
9. **House Proposal of Amendment (Unofficial)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0023/S-0023%20House%20Proposal%20of%20Amendment%20Unofficial.pdf)

## Sponsors

- Ruth Hardy — primary (person)
- Alison Clarkson — cosponsor (person)
- Anne Watson — cosponsor (person)
- Brian Collamore — cosponsor (person)
- Rebecca White — cosponsor (person)
- Robert Norris — cosponsor (person)
- Tanya Vyhovsky — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2025-01-22** Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Government Operations `introduction`
- **2025-03-18** Entered on Notice Calendar
- **2025-03-18** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-03-18** Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government Operations `committee-passage`
- **2025-03-19** New Business/Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-03-19** Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government Operations `committee-passage`
- **2025-03-19** Read 2nd time, reported favorably with recommendation of amendment by Senator Collamore for Committee on Government Operations `committee-passage-favorable, reading-2`
- **2025-03-19** Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government Operations agreed to
- **2025-03-19** 3rd reading ordered
- **2025-03-20** New Business/Third Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-03-20** Pending third reading, motion to amend bill offered by Senator(s) Ram Hinsdale `reading-3`
- **2025-03-20** Consideration interrupted by recess
- **2025-03-20** Consideration resumed
- **2025-03-20** Motion agreed to
- **2025-03-20** Read 3rd time & passed `reading-3`
- **2025-03-25** Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs `introduction`
- **2025-05-29** Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- **2025-05-30** Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- **2025-05-30** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2025-05-30** Rep. Waters Evans of Charlotte reported for the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
- **2025-05-30** Rep. Waters Evans of Charlotte moved to amend the report of the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, which was agreed to
- **2025-05-30** Report of Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, as amended, agreed to
- **2025-05-30** Third Reading ordered `reading-3`
- **2025-06-02** Action Calendar: Third Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-06-05** Action Calendar: Unfinished Business
- **2025-06-06** Action Calendar: Unfinished Business
- **2025-06-09** Action Calendar: Unfinished Business
- **2025-06-11** Action Calendar: Unfinished Business
- **2025-06-13** Action Calendar: Unfinished Business
- **2025-06-16** Action Calendar: Unfinished Business
- **2025-06-16** Read third time and passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment `amendment-introduction, reading-3`
- **2026-01-06** House message: House passed bill in concurrence with proposal(s) of amendment
- **2026-01-07** House proposal of amendment `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-08** House proposal of amendment `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-08** Committed to Committee on Government Operations on motion of Senator Collamore
- **2026-01-20** House proposal of amendment `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-20** Proposal of amendment to be offered by Senator Collamore on behalf of the committee on Government Operations `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-21** House proposal of amendment `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-21** Proposal of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) Collamore on behalf of Committee on Government Operations `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-21** House proposal of amendment; text `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-21** Reported favorably by Senator Collamore for Committee on Government Operations with proposal of amendment `amendment-introduction, committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-01-21** Proposal of amendment by Committee on Government Operations amended as moved by Senator(s) Baruth `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-21** House proposal of amendment concurred in with further proposal of amendment by the Committtee on Government Operationsas amended `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-22** Senate Message: House proposal of amendment concurred in with further proposal of amendment thereto `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-23** Notice Calendar: Senate Proposal of Amendment to House Proposal of Amendment `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-27** Action Calendar: Senate Proposal of Amendment to House Proposal of Amendment `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-27** Rep. Birong of Vergennes moved to postpone action until Jan. 28, 2026, which was agreed to
- **2026-01-28** Action Calendar: Action postponed until Jan. 28, 2026
- **2026-01-28** Rep. Birong of Vergennes moved the House refuse to concur and asked for a Committee of Conference
- **2026-01-28** Speaker appointed Reps. Birong of Vergennes, Hango of Berkshire, and Waters Evans of Charlotte as members of the Committee of Conference on the part of the House
- **2026-01-30** House message: House refused to concur in Senate proposal of amendment & requested Conference Committee; House Conference Committee members appointed `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-01-30** Committee of Conference appointed: Senators Collamore, Vyhovsky, and Morley
- **2026-01-30** Senate Message: Committee of Conference members appointed
- **2026-02-10** Notice Calendar: Report of Committee of Conference
- **2026-02-11** Action Calendar: Report of Committee of Conference
- **2026-02-11** Committee of Conference report adopted (Senate bill) `passage`
- **2026-02-13** House message: House adopted Conference Committee report
- **2026-02-17** Entered on Notice Calendar
- **2026-02-17** Committee of Conference report
- **2026-02-18** Committee of Conference report
- **2026-02-18** Committee of Conference report submitted by Senator Collamore for Committee, text
- **2026-02-18** Committee of Conference report adopted
- **2026-02-18** As passed by Senate and House `passage`
- **2026-02-19** Senate Message: Report of Committee of Conference adopted
- **2026-02-27** Delivered to Governor on February 27, 2026 `executive-receipt`
- **2026-03-10** Signed by Governor on March 5, 2026 `executive-signature`
- **2026-03-11** Senate Message: Signed by Governor March 5, 2026 `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/37e3df20-bc61-4606-9e79-169dd98e8a0e`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Vermont legislature records).