GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001

SESSION LAW 2001-317
HOUSE BILL 57

AN ACT TO PROVIDE REASONABLE AND PRACTICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LABELING OF CAMPAIGN ADS; and to clarify media liability. 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 163‑278.39(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Size Requirements. – In a print media advertisement covered by subsection (a) of this section, the height of all disclosure statements required by that subsection shall constitute at least five percent (5%) of the height of the printed space of the advertisement, provided that the type shall in no event be less than 12 points in size. In an advertisement in a newspaper or a newspaper insert, the total height of the disclosure statement need not constitute five percent of the printed space of the advertisement if the type of the disclosure statement is at least 28 points in size. If a single advertisement consists of multiple pages, folds, or faces, the disclosure requirement of this section applies only to one page, fold, or face. In a television advertisement covered by subsection (a) of this section, the visual disclosure legend shall constitute 32 scan lines in size. In a radio advertisement covered by subsection (a) of this section, the disclosure statement shall last at least  two seconds, provided the statement is spoken so that its contents may be easily understood."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 163‑278.39A(h) reads as rewritten:
"(h)	No Additional Liability of Television or Radio Outlets. – Television or radio outlets shall not be liable under this Part for carriage of political advertisements that fail to include the disclosure requirements provided for in this Part."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 19th day of July, 2001.

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 James B. Black
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved 12:26 p.m. this 28th day of July, 2001