This study outlines issues which negatively impact citizen engagement when public notices are removed from newspapers and moved to less visited government websites.
Newspaper notice as a government transparency mechanism: Evidence from Florida∗
Kimberlyn Munevara Texas A&M University, Anya Nakhmurinab Yale School of Management, and Delphine Samuelsc, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Abstract
This paper studies the role of newspaper notices-legally required announcements published in print and online news outlets to inform citizens about local government activities-in facilitating citizen engagement. We examine Florida’s House Bill 7049, the first statewide law to revoke the requirement that public notices appear in newspapers and to allow local governments to publish notices on county-operated websites instead. Exploiting cross-county variation in the availability of these websites, we find that local governments with access to a county public notice website significantly reduce their newspaper notices after the reform, particularly for notices that typically prompt citizen involvement, such as public hearings and planning and zoning proposals. By contrast, we observe no discernible increase in traffic of county public notice websites, suggesting limited citizen substitution to the new dissemination channel. Consistent with reduced citizen awareness, public meetings in affected cities experience a decline in participation. We also find an increase in the number of commercial zoning permits, consistent with reduced activism against new construction. Taken together, our findings suggest that removing newspaper publication requirements reduces the visibility of public notices and, in turn, weakens citizen engagement in local governance.
For the full study: https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=6168629
‘Reinvent(ing) the wheel:’ Indiana lawmakers again look at moving public notices away from newspapers
Noah Crenshaw, News Editor, Daily Journal of Johnson County January 17, 2026
Public and legal notices are displayed inside the Wednesday edition of the Daily Journal. A Statehouse bill would make publishing of notices in newspapers one of five options within the next five years.
Noah Crenshaw | Daily Journal
HOW THE COMMITTEE VOTED
Yays — Reps. Doug Miller, R-Elkhart; David Abbott, R-Rome City; Karen Engleman, R-Georgetown; Robb Greene, R-Shelbyville; Jack Jordan, R-Bremen; Michael Karickhoff, R-Kokomo; Joanna King, R-Middlebury; Timothy O’Brien, R-Evansville; Alaina Shonkwiler, R-Noblesville
Nays — Reps. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary; John Barlett, D-Indianapolis; Chris Campbell, D-West Lafayette; Earl Harris, D-East Chicago
Indiana lawmakers are again looking at making publication of public notices optional in newspapers, instead of making it one of five options.
House Bill 1283, authored by State Rep. Alex Zimmerman, R-North Vernon, would allow anyone to satisfy the state’s noticing statues by publishing notice in a newspaper or locality newspaper, including print and online; the Hoosier State Press Association public notice website; a political subdivision website; or a new state public notice website. The website would be set up for push alerts that residents can sign up for, governments could post on it for free and the Indiana Archives and Records Administration would be tasked with establishing processes for the transfer and preservation of public notices from it.
“It’s changing 200-plus years of public notice law and essentially diluting the notice and the ability for people to see notice by giving those that need to publish five different locations to put it in,” said Steve Wolff, vice president of government affairs and procurement for The Corydon Group, a lobbyist working on behalf of HSPA, in an interview.
Initially, the bill said the state website would have to launch by July 1, 2028. But an amendment approved by the committee Wednesday would phase in when governments can use the website, based on population:
July 1, 2028: Governments with a population of less than 50,000
Jan. 1, 2029: Governments with a population of less than 100,000
July 1, 2029: All governments can use the website
The bill ultimately passed out of the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee 9-4 on Wednesday, and now goes to the House Ways and Means Committee. The bill had not been assigned a hearing before that committee by press time.
A long-standing debate
This is not the first time lawmakers have tried to make public notices optional in newspapers, as the issue has come up frequently over the last decade. Last session, HB 1312 of 2025 was proposed, which is substantially similar to HB 1283. However, HB 1283 adds the HSPA public notice website as an option.
HB 1312 of 2025 was authored by State Rep. Jennifer Meltzer, R-Shelbyville, who is a co-author of HB 1283. While that bill passed the House, it died in a Senate committee.
There are some governments and people who think publishing the notices is “a box that they have to check” and “don’t fully appreciate” that it’s a formal legal process that protects things like due process, Wolff said. Arguments for moving notices away from newspapers have included costs of publishing, but he argues that newspapers are providing a service by notifying the public.
Another argument for moving them away from newspapers involves publishing deadlines.
“There are some papers where they only publish once a week, and if you miss the deadline to get notification, then you’re set back another week on when you can begin the local project,” Wolff said. “Well, again, I would argue that the public wants to know about those projects.”
As for putting the notices on local government sites specifically, there is a concern the public won’t visit those sites regularly and could miss important notices, Wolff said.
“The thing about the newspaper is you’re finding these notices while you’re looking for information on the scores of the high school girls basketball game,” he said. “And so, I think that conversation needs to be had just about what is the purpose of public notice?”
Last year’s attempt, HB 1312 of 2025, was met with pushback from the HSPA and its member newspapers. The Daily Journal is a member of the association, along with its sister AIM Media Indiana newspapers.
Government organizations support effort
Representatives of government associations, along bill author, expressed support for HB 1283 before the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee on Wednesday, arguing it would provide cost savings to governments, speed up the noticing process and improve transparency.
“It’s really a taxpayer savings bill at the end of the day,” said Zimmerman, the bill’s author.
Some committee members expressed concern about transparency and access for those without internet. Rep. Chris Campbell, D-West Lafayette, said the intent of the public notice always is transparency by having a third party provide it: newspapers. She was concerned that moving to five options, including newspapers, would take away the intent of the law and create an appearance of non-transparency.
Zimmerman disagreed, saying it would give governments more discretion. He also emphasized the bill wasn’t a “knock” on newspapers, but acknowledged the reality of how information can be found today.
Scott Bowling, executive director of the Indiana Association of School Business Officials, told the House committee the bill would free up dollars for schools and give them more flexibility. It would also be more convenient for taxpayers, potential bidders and other interested parties to find information in rural areas that have newspapers that only publish once a week, he said.
Jake German, a lobbyist representing Indiana County Commissioners, told the committee the bill was a “long-time coming.” He acknowledged there are gaps with internet access in the state, but when counties look at tax policies after property tax revenue cuts from Senate Enrolled Act 1 of 2025, removing the requirement to publish public notices in newspapers would allow governments to stretch tax dollars in the most efficient way possible, he said.
Campbell disagreed, saying while she appreciated governments trying to be fiscally responsible, more areas are becoming media deserts — areas that have no local news coverage — which hurts everyone. She said she would’ve liked to have seen more efforts to work with newspapers on the issue.
The cost savings appeared to be an overriding factor in the committee testimony. Isabel Elliott, representing Accelerate Indiana Municipalities, which represents Indiana cities and towns, said in 2024 alone, 20 governments reported spending over $144,000 on notices. As governments have to post more notices, timelines for newspapers have created challenges, she said.
“This opens up more options,” Elliott said.
Worries about transparency, accountability
While the HSPA and member newspapers understand that the goal of HB 1283 is to save money and create efficiency, they disagree on whether it would do that.
HSPA has supported many changes over the years to reduce costs. This includes when multiple public notices are needed, as not only the first notice needs to go in the newspaper. They’ve also supported legislation that would allow notices to be published on a newspaper’s website first before print publication, addressing print deadline concerns, Wolff told the committee.
Steve Wolff, a lobbyist working on behalf of the Hoosier State Press Association, testifies against House Bill 1283 before members of the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee on Wednesday. Video screenshot
The state website would have one person managing public notices for the whole state, whereas under the current framework, newspapers have multiple people handling notices. There are at least 52 people who are public notice experts at newspapers throughout the state, he said.
Konrad LaPrade, president and CEO of Fort Wayne Newspapers and KPC Media, echoed that point.
“I know government is efficient, but I find it hard to believe — and I think this is a hidden cost in this bill — that we will be able to stand up a website with one individual, to put it together,” LaPrade said. “… [Newspapers] are incredibly efficient in what we do. This is not the kind of thing you can stand up with one person doing it. Last year alone, we corrected over 58 legals in Fort Wayne where they came to us incorrectly.”
Some parts of the state still don’t have quality broadband internet access. Wolff cited a survey for the Indiana Broadband Digital Equity Plan that said 25% of the Hoosiers don’t have internet access in his committee testimony.
HSPA wants to work with lawmakers to modernize the process, but keep independence. However, the bill hinders, rather than enhances, transparency, Wolff said.
Kathy Tretter, editor and publisher of newspapers in Dubois and Spencer counties, told the committee it seems like the state is “wanting to reinvent the wheel” when the HSPA already has a centralized website. Communities won’t want to spend money to publish the notices in newspaper in addition to a state website, she said.
Anne Durham Smith, editor of the (Greenfield) Daily Reporter, a sister newspaper of the Daily Journal, questioned whether there would be accountability for when a government failed to put notices online. As an example, the Daily Reporter sent more than 30 letters to local governments in Hancock County just to get a list of meeting notices for 2026 in December, which the paper doesn’t charge for, but had to follow up with a dozen that didn’t respond, she said.
“I just wonder with a system that allows the notification — from start to finish — to be under the umbrella of government, is the follow-up going to be and the accountability going to be, that be robust?” Smith said. “Publishing notice in newspapers has been a mechanism of external accountability and trying to shift that wholly under the umbrella of government, which is an option under this bill, away from that external accountability, should not be labeled as a move toward transparency.”
Before the committee ultimately voted, Campbell expressed more concerns about transparency, while Rep. John Bartlett, D-Indianapolis, said the bill would negatively impact seniors and people without internet access.
Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary, said it would be nice to have a bill that goes both ways — a notice in newspapers and a state website with a quick certification for those who need it.
Campbell, Bartlett and Hatcher all voted against. Rep. David Abbott, R-Rome City, said he looked forward to seeing the portal before his vote.
Copyright (©) 2026 Daily Journal (Franklin) eEdition
https://www.therepublic.com/2026/01/15/reinventing-the-wheel-indiana-lawmakers-again-look-at-moving-public-notices-away-from-newspapers/
The following is the Maryland Association of Counties’ opinion
Modernizing Legal Notice Requirements With a Digital Approach
Sarah Sample | January 29, 2026
On January 28, Associate Policy Director Sarah Sample testified before the Judiciary Committee in support of HB 10 – Legal Advertisement or Legal Notice – Publication in Newspaper or Newspaper in General Circulation – Digital Newspapers with amendments.
This bill authorizes a county to publish required public notices in a qualifying newspaper or digital publication to maintain compliance with state law. This creates both cost savings and more flexibility for local governments in meeting this requirement. Counties request adding a flexible alternative for digital publication so that the statute remains feasible and adaptable as digital media continues to evolve.
Currently, certain legal notices and advertisements often required of local governments must be published in a “newspaper of general circulation.” With fewer print outlets, local governments face 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.
From MACo Testimony:
In looking to the future and how media may continue to evolve, counties would offer one clarifying amendment. The bill identifies a very specific type of digital option for publishing notices. However, there is likely to be a time in the future when the options available for publication across all jurisdictions do not meet all the criteria in the bill. To ensure that the changes to this statute will address the challenges of both today and decades to come, counties request the addition of an alternative option for digital publication in the absence of one consistent with the bill’s standards.
https://conduitstreet.mdcounties.org/2026/01/29/modernizing-legal-notice-requirements-with-a-digital-approach/
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New York
S07053
Authorizes counties to post local laws and notices via the internet where such county doesn’t have a newspaper published within the county. This bill amends the county law to provide an alternative method for publishing official notices and local laws in counties without a local newspaper. Specifically, the bill creates an exemption to the existing requirement that counties publish legal notices in a designated newspaper. Under this new provision, if a county does not have a newspaper published within its boundaries, it may instead publish local laws and official notices through an official county website or another state-run digital platform. This change addresses the challenges faced by rural or sparsely populated counties that may lack a local newspaper, ensuring that residents can still access important government information by providing a digital alternative for public notices. The bill would take effect immediately upon passage, offering counties without local newspapers a flexible and accessible method to communicate official information to their residents.
S00237
Allows for online publication of public notices. This bill amends the New York General Construction Law to allow public notices that are legally required to be published in newspapers to also be published on online news platforms. Specifically, the online news publication must provide daily general interest news for a specific geographic area and have been continuously published for at least one year. The bill ensures that online publications meeting these criteria can be used as an alternative to traditional newspaper publication, while still maintaining other legal requirements related to the notice (such as content, timing, and other legal stipulations). The purpose appears to be to modernize public notice requirements by recognizing online news platforms as a valid method of communication, potentially making public notices more accessible and cost-effective. The legislation takes effect immediately upon passage, allowing for immediate implementation of the new online publication option for public notices.
Nebraska
LB596
Change requirements for legal publications and notices required by law. This bill modifies the requirements for legal publications and notices in Nebraska by expanding the ways such notices can be legally published. Currently, legal notices must be published in a newspaper (daily, semiweekly, or triweekly), but the bill now allows these notices to also be published on a website or digital news publication application if the digital platform does not have a print publication. The bill maintains existing requirements that notices must be published for a specific number of days or weeks, and continues to require that publications be made by qualified newspapers or digital news publications. Additionally, the bill preserves the existing requirement that legal publications must also be posted on a statewide website maintained by a majority of Nebraska newspapers, which was originally established in October 2022. The purpose of these changes appears to be to modernize and provide more flexibility in how legal notices can be disseminated to the public, recognizing the increasing role of digital media in information distribution. The original section of law is repealed and replaced with this updated version.
Hawaii
SB197
Relating To Public Notice.This bill establishes enhanced public notice and community approval requirements for land use changes and construction projects by four key state entities: the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Land Use Commission, and the University of Hawaii. For each proposed project, these agencies must provide comprehensive public notice within thirty days of filing a permit application, including publishing notices in local newspapers, mailing notices to nearby residences, posting notices at project sites, and publishing notices on their websites. The agencies must also conduct at least three public meetings within four months of the permit application and, critically, obtain community approval through a referendum. For most projects, only adult residents within five miles of the proposed project can vote, with any project failing to receive majority approval being automatically denied. For projects within the Mauna Kea science reserve, the referendum would involve all adult residents of the county where the reserve is located. The bill appropriates funds to each agency to cover the costs of implementing these new public notice and referendum requirements, with the goal of increasing transparency and community involvement in significant land use decisions. The legislative findings suggest these requirements are motivated by past controversies surrounding construction projects that lacked adequate community input.
Missouri
HB1940
Changes the law regarding advertisements and orders of publication in newspapers his bill modifies Missouri’s laws regarding newspaper publications for legal advertisements and public notices by reducing the required continuous publication period for newspapers from three years to one year, and expanding the criteria for qualifying newspapers. Specifically, the bill allows newspapers to be considered eligible for publishing legal notices if they have been either published regularly for one year or purchased/newly established by a newspaper that meets the one-year publication requirement. The bill also extends the window for a successor newspaper to replace a defunct publication from 30 to 90 consecutive days and maintains existing requirements that the newspaper be admitted to periodicals class mail, have a list of paid subscribers, and publish notices on the same day of each week. Additionally, the bill preserves existing provisions for newspapers that suspend publication during wartime, allowing them to be reinstated within one year after hostilities cease, provided they meet certain documentation and subscriber requirements. These changes aim to provide more flexibility for newspapers while maintaining standards for publishing legal advertisements and public notices.