Provides for the crime of "unlawful deepfake" to be added to the definition of power-based violence under the Campus Accountability and Safety Act. (gov sig)

Senate Bill 347 amends the Campus Accountability and Safety Act by adding deepfake technology to the statutory definition of power-based violence in Louisiana Revised Statutes section 17:3399.12(5). The bill inserts a new subsection defining "deepfake" as any audio or visual media in electronic format, including motion picture film or video recording, that is created, altered, or digitally manipulated to falsely appear to a reasonable observer as an authentic record of actual speech or conduct, or that replaces an individual's likeness with another person's likeness. The definition incorporates a carve-out for material constituting works of political, public interest, or newsworthy value such as commentary, criticism, satire, or parody, as well as material that includes sufficient content, context, or clear disclosure visible throughout the recording to indicate it is not a genuine recording. The bill cross-references Louisiana Revised Statutes section 14:73.13, which criminalizes unlawful deepfakes, thereby connecting campus safety enforcement with existing criminal law.

The practical effect of this legislation is to classify deepfake creation and distribution as a form of power-based violence within the campus accountability framework, affecting how colleges and universities respond to deepfake incidents involving their students and employees. Campus officials, Title IX coordinators, and institutional administrators responsible for enforcing campus accountability policies will now treat deepfake offenses as power-based violence rather than standalone misconduct. Students accused of creating or distributing deepfakes, particularly those depicting other students without consent, may face enhanced disciplinary consequences under campus conduct codes that address power-based violence, potentially including suspension or expulsion. Victims of deepfake abuse will benefit from campus processes and protections designed specifically for power-based violence, including access to confidential advisors and supportive measures available through institutional sexual assault and harassment protocols.

The amendment operates within Louisiana's established framework for institutional accountability on college campuses, which was created to address interpersonal violence and abuse through unified institutional policies and procedures. Power-based violence as defined in section 17:3399.12(5) encompasses a range of criminal conduct and violations including dating violence, domestic abuse, sexual assault, stalking, and cyberstalking, all cross-referenced to their corresponding penal code sections. The inclusion of deepfake within this definition aligns campus discipline procedures with Louisiana's criminal law criminalizing unlawful deepfakes under section 14:73.13, ensuring consistency between institutional responses and state criminal prohibitions. The bill becomes effective upon the governor's signature or automatic lapse of the gubernatorial action period as provided in the Louisiana Constitution, Article III, Section 18, with provisions for delayed effectiveness if the governor vetoes and the legislature overrides the veto.