Public service announcements or advertisements; when prohibited

(a) No candidate for elected office shall either appear in a public service announcement or advertisement or allow the candidate's name to be used in a public service announcement or advertisement during a period beginning 60 days before any primary election in which the candidate's name appears on the ballot and ending with the conclusion of the general election. (b) As used in this section: (1) "Public service announcement or advertisement" means any message broadcast by electronic, telephone or print media promoting or announcing some issue of public importance, public concern or public welfare regardless of whether or not the announcement or advertisement involves the donation of time or space on behalf of the media or is paid for with public sector funds or private sector funds from the current contractor of the sponsoring government entity; (2) "electronic media" shall not include the website for the government agency or other entity that administers the program promoted by the public service announcement or advertisement; and (3) "print media" means direct mail literature and advertisements in any newspaper, magazine or any other periodical publication, but it shall not include printed literature promoting a program so long as it is used regularly throughout the year in the regular course of business and not distributed in an unsolicited direct mail advertising campaign at a cost exceeding $2,000 during a period beginning 60 days before any primary election in which the candidate's name appears on the ballot and ending with the conclusion of the general election. (c) Any candidate who intentionally violates this section shall be subject to the civil penalties provided by K.S.A. 25-4181, and amendments thereto. (d) This act shall be part of and supplemental to the campaign finance act.