§ 17-23-18 — § 17-23-18. Political advertising from official budgets prohibited.

§ 17-23-18. Political advertising from official budgets prohibited.

(a) Except in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) of this section, no elected official shall permit the expenditure of public funds from any official budget under his or her authority for any publication, advertisement, broadcast, or telecast of his or her photograph, voice, or other likeness to be broadcast or distributed to the public during the one hundred and twenty (120) days preceding any primary or general election in which he or she is a candidate.

(b) This section shall not be construed to prohibit an official from appearing on regular capitol television programming operated by the general assembly or on television stations operated by the Rhode Island PBS Foundation during the period of time or programming of regular or special meetings of city or town councils or any local governmental board, agency or other entity.

(c) This section shall not be construed to prohibit the publication, broadcast, or telecast of any photograph, voice, or other likeness of an elected official that is distributed to the public by or through an official government website or social media presence provided that the website or social media presence is continuously maintained in the regular course of official government business exclusively for general informational or transparency purposes.

Legislative History

P.L. 1991, ch. 241, § 1; P.L. 1994, ch. 311, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 144, art. 7, § 3; P.L. 2019, ch. 302, § 1.