The bill H.244 aims to establish new standards for state contracting related to advertising services, mandating that at least 80 percent of the total annual value of contracts for print, digital, radio, and television advertising be allocated to local news and broadcast organizations. The bill amends existing law to clarify the responsibilities of the Commissioner of Buildings and General Services, who will now be required to maintain a list of eligible local organizations and report annually to the General Assembly on advertising expenditures. Additionally, the bill allows for the exclusion of tourism-focused advertisements from the total annual value calculations.

Key amendments include the insertion of specific definitions for "local news organization" and "local broadcast organization," which outline criteria for eligibility based on content creation, employee dedication, publication frequency, and revenue sources. The bill also modifies the language regarding the Commissioner's authority, replacing gender-specific pronouns with a neutral term. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, ensuring that the state prioritizes local media in its advertising contracts.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 29-902(a), 29-902