On January 22, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko testified before the Judiciary Committee in support of HB 74 – Legal Advertisement or Legal Notice – Publication in Newspaper or Newspaper in General Circulation – Digital Newspapers. This bill authorizes a county that does not have a qualifying newspaper for certain legal advertisements or notices, to publish the required information in a comparable digital format to maintain compliance with state law.
MACo supports the reasonable and clear eligibility criteria to ensure these platforms are reliable and serve the public interest. Platforms used for public notices should demonstrate a commitment to professional standards, such as producing original content and maintaining a tangible connection to the communities they serve. These safeguards ensure residents can access timely, accurate, and meaningful information while properly allowing counties to satisfy public notice provisions in a changing media landscape.
With fewer print outlets, local governments face significant challenges in publishing required notices. This bill provides counties with a practical and necessary solution to meet legal notice requirements as traditional newspapers transition to digital formats or cease operations altogether.
HB 74 was heard in the opposite chamber, the Judicial Proceedings Committee, on March 26. MACo submitted written testimony in support of this bill.
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