House Bill No. 5173, reported by the Committee on Planning and Development, proposes an amendment to the general statutes concerning the publication of legal notices by municipalities. The bill, effective October 1, 2024, would allow towns, cities, and boroughs to post legal notices on their respective websites instead of being required to insert them in a daily or weekly newspaper. This change is indicated by the insertion of new legal language that permits the advertisement of legal notices on the Internet web site of the town, city, or borough. The bill does not alter the existing time requirements for giving such notices.

The fiscal impact statement attached to the bill indicates that there would be savings for municipalities starting in fiscal year 2025, as the cost of publishing legal notices online is expected to be less than in newspapers. The extent of the savings will depend on the number of legal notices a municipality needs to publish and the cost per notice. The bill analysis clarifies that the bill does not change the frequency or duration requirements for legal notices, only the medium through which they can be published. The bill received a joint favorable vote from the Planning and Development Committee with 12 yeas and 7 nays on March 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 1-2
PD Joint Favorable: 1-2
File No. 24: 1-2