Texas SB 751 — Election Deepfake Criminal Statute (FIRST IN NATION)

Texas SB 751 (signed June 14, 2019) was the first U.S. state law making it a crime to create or distribute election deepfakes. Criminalizes creating/publishing/distributing a deepfake video with intent to injure a candidate or influence an election within 30 days of an election; Class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year jail and $4,000 fine). Still in effect 2026.

Technical detail

Tex. Elec. Code § 255.004(d)-(e) (added by SB 751, 86th Leg., 2019) — criminalizes creating a 'deep fake video' (video using generative AI to depict a real person engaging in conduct that did not occur) with intent to (1) injure a candidate or (2) influence the result of an election, when published within 30 days of an election. Class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year jail + $4,000 fine). Applies only to state-level (not federal) races. Remains in effect as of June 2026; not yet directly subjected to a First Amendment challenge as of this writing.

Who is protected: Texas voters; candidates for state office

Who must comply: Creators and distributors of election deepfakes in Texas

Key facts

More AI rules in TX

• Texas v. Google · In effect
• Texas v. Allstate / Arity · In effect
• Texas v. Pieces Technologies · In effect
• Texas CUBI (2009) · In effect
• TX TRAIGA (HB 149) · In effect
• Texas v. Google ($1.375B) · In effect

Related deepfakes rules elsewhere

• TAKE IT DOWN Act · In effect
• TCPA (AI voice calls) · In effect
• DEFIANCE Act (deepfake-porn civil suits) · Proposed / pending
• SB 942 (AI Transparency Act) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
• AB 2839 (Election Deepfakes) · Blocked / in litigation
• AB 602 (Deepfake Intimate Images) · In effect