This bill amends Chapter 1, Title 60 of the Idaho Code to establish provisions for electronic publication of public notices. A new section, 60-106B, is introduced, allowing individuals, governmental entities, and businesses to publish required notices electronically on the state controller's website instead of in newspapers. The bill stipulates that electronically published notices will have the same legal effect as those published in print, provided all requirements are met. It also mandates that minimum publishing dates and duration requirements for print notices apply to electronic publications. The state controller is tasked with ensuring public access to these electronic notices free of charge and must implement a subscription feature for users to receive notifications about public meetings.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 60-109A to revise the provisions regarding legal notice publication by first-class mail, allowing notices to be included with regular mailings, such as utility bills, and removing the previous requirement that mailing costs must be less than other publication methods for it to constitute legal notice. The bill also repeals an earlier version of Section 60-106B related to electronic publication, replacing it with the new provisions. An emergency clause is included, making certain sections effective immediately upon passage, while others will take effect on January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 60-109A, 60-106B