PNRC

July 22 – We wanted to bring to your attention to a New Jersey SB 2072. This contentious bill just passed a crucial Senate committee earlier this week.  SB 2072 would remove public notices from newspapers and have them posted online on government websites.

 “Many small newspaper rely on these legal advertisements to keep afloat,” Star-Ledger publisher Richard Vezza stated in his testimony at the hearing on Monday.

“Without them, local newspapers may close, resulting in less scrutiny of local government and a citizen’s right to know.”

The Jersey City Independent published an article on SB 2072’s movement.

The article will be included in the July issue of of Record, and will be available on the PNRC website. For your convenience, a link to the full article is below:

Trouble for New Jersey’s Newspapers? Bill Moving Public Notices to Web Clears Senate Panel, (7.21.2010)

In Case You Missed It…

Pending legislation in Massachusetts would redefine newspaper publication of public notices to expressly include legal newspapers.

The bill states:

SECTION 98. Chapter 211B of the General Laws, is hereby amended by adding the following section:

Section 21. Whenever a department established under this chapter is required to publish a notice in a newspaper by any general or special law, order, rule or judgment of any court, that department shall be deemed as having met all notice requirements by publishing in a newspaper which by its title page purports to be printed or published in such town, city or county, or having a circulation therein. For purposes of this section, the definition of newspaper shall include legal newspapers.

A link to the full text of the legislation can be found at:  H.B. 4800

ACCN/PNRC 2010 Conference in Portland, Oregon

Pew finds that Americans want government reform and government power curtailed.  In a time of fiscal uncertainty, more Americans are not as trusting of their government. 

“Just 22% say they can trust the government in Washington almost always or most of the time, among the lowest measures in half a century.”

With such malcontent for government, it is unlikely that the first place citizens will turn to for information will be a government website.

Distrust, Discontent, Anger and Partisan Rancor