California has a new penalty for influencers who take money to post about elections without saying so. Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1130 on September 19, allowing fines of up to $5,000 per violation for paid political posts that lack disclosure.
If you are a creator who takes brand or campaign work, this is a compliance issue that sits squarely on your side of the contract. The law covers influencers, not just the campaigns that hire them.
What The Law Actually Does
AB 1130 applies to online influencers who are paid to post about state or local political races. Violations can bring civil fines, and cases can also be referred to law enforcement as possible misdemeanors. California already expected paid political posts to be labeled, but the old rules lacked a clear enforcement path.
Assemblyman Marc Berman sponsored the bill after seeing what he called ambiguity in how the earlier law worked. It was also prompted in part by Tom Steyer’s 2026 governor’s race, where dozens of paid influencers initially posted without revealing they were compensated. The reporting did not specify an effective date.
Why This Matters For Self-Employed Creators
Most creators are sole proprietors, which means fines and legal exposure land on the individual rather than on a corporate legal department. A $5,000 penalty per post could wipe out the fee from a small sponsored campaign.
The risk is not limited to California. Texas already has comparable requirements, and Chicago now has its own proposal from Alderman Matt Martin, covered by Net Influencer, that would fine both the political committee and the influencer. A federal bill from Rep. Mark Takano, the Promoting Authenticity with Influencer Disclaimers Act, was introduced in June.
What Self-Employed Creators Should Do Next
Add a disclosure clause to every sponsorship agreement, spelling out the exact wording and placement of the paid-partnership label and who signs off on it. For any political or issue-adjacent work, ask the client in writing whether the content counts as political advertising in the state where it will run.
Keep copies of contracts, payment records, and screenshots of published posts with the disclosure visible. If a campaign asks you to skip or bury the label, treat that as a reason to walk away rather than a negotiation point.
What To Watch Next
Watch for the effective date and any guidance from California regulators on what counts as a clear disclosure. In Chicago, the proposal has been introduced but the reporting gave no vote date.
Brand deals are already changing shape as companies build larger creator programs, as in Unilever’s move to work with 300,000 creators. As more paid content flows through creators, expect disclosure rules to become a standard part of the paperwork.
