Legal Notice Roundup- Florida, Connecticut, Texas, Tennessee

Submitted by FreePublic on 1 April 2013 - 10:02pm

Here is a brief legal notice legislative roundup:

Connecticut Newspapers have begun a concerted lobbying effort to fight a bill being considered by the Connecticut House of Representatives that would give towns the abilities to post public notices on their own websites, reports the Associated Press.

California Legal Notice Bill Gets It Right. AB 642 Allows Online News Organizations To Compete To Publish Notices

Submitted by FreePublic on 29 March 2013 - 8:16am

California Assemblyman Anthony Rendon may be new to his position, but he could teach a lot to , more experienced legislators about proposing an online public notice bill that makes sense. If the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, then there are quite a few crazy legislators. For the past three years as we have covered over 40 proposed online public notice bills, virtually all of them have proposed to let the local government take over the publishing of notices. Each time the newspaper lobby alleges that there should be an independent third party to publish notices; and succeeds in killing the bill.

In Arizona, House Passed Bill Which Will Limit Notices In Print AND Defeated Another Legal Notice Bill

Submitted by FreePublic on 29 March 2013 - 8:11am

The State House in Arizona advanced HB 2533 which would allow local governments to post legal notices on their own websites reported the Tucson Sentinel. The planned bill passed 31-27 on reconsideration on Monday, March 17 after failing on the previous Thursday.

ARIZONA Legislator's Proposal Offers A Novel Solution to Legal Notice Publishing

Submitted by FreePublic on 18 March 2013 - 12:14pm

Why are local politicians allowed to choose the "paper of record" which often has very low circulation? In California why aren't all public notices in the Los Angeles Times, the largest circulated newspaper in the state?  Instead they are posted in a little-read newspaper called The Daily Journal which only lawyers read.

TENNESSEE-Dumbest Legal Notice Bill Yet. Newspapers Must Post Notices Online. Saves No Taxpayer Money and Mandates Nothing New.

Submitted by FreePublic on 17 March 2013 - 12:16am

We've been covering legal notice bills for over 2 years and thought we've seen every possible bill proposed. The State Senate of Tennessee further wasted legislators' time and taxpayers' money by approving Senate Bill 461, sponsored by State Senator Ken Yager which changes absolutely nothing. There are no savings for the cash-strapped municipalities because the newspapers continue to charge outrageous rates for print notices in newspapers with dwindling circulations.

NORTH CAROLINA - Legal Notices in Print Targeted for Removal to Web. Almost $100,000 for One Legal Notice!

Submitted by FreePublic on 7 March 2013 - 1:11am

Senate Bill 186 was introduced today (March 5, 2013)  by Senator Trudy Wade, reports Triadwatch .

The bill would allow for prominent electric publishing on the web site of governing body as a substitute for publishing in a newspaper. 

MARYLAND- Online Notice Bill Could Save State $6-$9 million.

Submitted by FreePublic on 4 March 2013 - 8:45am

HB 1136 which would allow municipalities to publish legal notices on their own web sites was proposed Feb. 8 and was discussed in a hearing February 28. The bill, by our estimations, could save aggregately $6-$9 million every year. If privately funded notices like foreclosure notices, name changes, litigation and licenses were allowed to be published online, savings would increase to almost $20 million.

"There has been a steady Celine in newspaper readership in the past several decades while at the same time there has been a significant increase in ... access to the internet"

The bill explicitly supports much of what we've been saying:

VIRGINIA - What Sequester? It's Unanimous: Legislature Buries Several Online Legal Notice Bills and Continues To Pay Handsomely

Submitted by FreePublic on 2 March 2013 - 12:09pm

More money will  continue to be spent this year publishing legal notices in newspapers in Virginia. Six Bills that could have saved an estimated $8-9 million statewide have been killed by legislators.

ARIZONA-Two Online Legal Notice Bills Have Been Passed in Committee.

Submitted by FreePublic on 15 February 2013 - 3:24pm

Online Legal Notice Legislation season is well under way as bills are being proposed in several states. (Texas, Michigan, Tennessee, Wyoming, Arizona) and have been shot down in two (Virginia, Indiana) .

One state is showing some creativity in proposing online notice bills.

Texas State Representative Stickland Takes On Newspaper Lobby By Proposing Online Legal Notice Bill

Submitted by FreePublic on 14 February 2013 - 1:36am

Maybe it is good to have legislators who are not immediately running again for office as soon as they win.