(a) A candidate or committee shall not authorize or pay for an advertisement that is a text message, unless the disclosures described in subdivision (b) are made, if the text message meets one of the following conditions: (1) The text message supports or opposes a candidate. (2) The text message supports or opposes a ballot measure. (b) (1) A committee, other than a candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate, subject to subdivision (a) shall include the text âPaid for byâ or âWithâ followed by either the name of the committee, or a hyperlink or Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for an internet website containing the disclosures required by Sections 84502, 84503, and 84506.5. The text of the disclosures on the internet website shall be in a color that reasonably contrasts with the background on which it appears and in no less than eight-point font. If the word âWithâ is used, the individual sending the text shall identify themselves in the following manner: â(Name of individual) with (name of committee or hyperlink or URL).â A disclosure using the word âWithâ may appear anywhere in the text message, including in conversational content, and need not appear as a separate statement apart from the other content of the message. (2) A candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate subject to subdivision (a) shall include the text âPaid for byâ or âWithâ followed by the name of the candidate, followed by the word âFor,â and followed by the name of the elective office sought. If the word âWithâ is used, the individual sending the text shall identify themselves in the following manner: â(Name of individual) with (name of candidate) for (name of elective office).â A disclosure using the word âWithâ may appear anywhere in the text message, including in conversational content, and need not appear as a separate statement apart from the other content of the message. (3) A committee subject to subdivision (a) that has top contributors, other than a political party committee or a candidate controlled committee established for an elective office of the controlling candidate, shall comply with the following: (A) Immediately following the name of the committee or the hyperlink or URL required by paragraph (1), the text message shall also include the text âTop funders:â followed by the names of the top two contributors of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or more to the committee paying for the advertisement, separated by â&â or âand.â (B) The names of the top two contributors may be spelled using acronyms, abbreviations, or other shorthand in common usage or parlance. If a top contributor is an individual, their first and last name shall both be used. (C) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), if the disclosures required by paragraph (1) and this paragraph would exceed 35 characters, the text message shall disclose only the single top contributor of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or more to the committee paying for the advertisement. (D) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), if the text message includes the name of the committee paying for the advertisement in accordance with paragraph (1), and the committeeâs name includes the name of one of the top two contributors of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or more to the committee paying for the advertisement, the text message is not required to include the name of that contributor after the text âTop funders:â. (4) The text required to be included in a text message sent pursuant to this subdivision shall be in a color that reasonably contrasts with the background on which it appears and in a font size that is readable by the average viewer. (c) (1) This section does not apply to a text message that is individually sent without the assistance of mass distribution technology, including a text messaging platform. (2) If a committee, other than a poli
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