I plan to introduce legislation which would amend the Newspaper Advertising Act to expand the definition of “newspaper of general circulation” to address recent technological changes in the newspaper industry.

Presently, municipalities and school districts are required to publish public notices in newspapers of general circulation, which by law are required to be in print. As more newspapers expand digital platforms and many rural areas and certain demographics within the Commonwealth struggle with limited internet access, this definition should be broadened to address the circumstances of all Pennsylvanians so that public notices reach as many people as possible.

My legislation would require that public notices continue to be published in print newspapers of general circulation, but if such a newspaper does not exist, the notice could be published in a digital newspaper of general circulation. If neither exist, the notice could be published in a free newspaper of general circulation.

Under the bill, a “digital newspaper” would be an online newspaper formatted similarly to a printed newspaper which must meet specific statutory criteria regarding its purpose and its ties to the community or be a digital descendant of a printed newspaper. A “free newspaper" would be a printed newspaper published without charge that would also have to fit certain statutory criteria regarding its content.

Print and free newspapers would also have to maintain a website and post public notices online contemporaneously and in front of a paywall. Newspapers would also be required to post public notices on the statewide publicly accessible website maintained by the Pennsylvania News Media Association.

The changes proposed in my bill are consistent with various recent public notice statutes adopted across the nation and will update our public notice law while ensuring Pennsylvanians can continue to find public notices in their trusted local newspapers, a disinterested, third-party whose constitutional role is to hold government accountable.

Please join me in co-sponsoring this critical legislation.