PRINTER'S NO. 77
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 88
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY B. MILLER, GREINER, PICKETT, CIRESI, HAMM, ROWE,
ZIMMERMAN, R. MACKENZIE, LEADBETER AND T. JONES,
MARCH 7, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 7, 2023
AN ACT
1 Amending Titles 45 (Legal Notices) and 65 (Public Officers) of
2 the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in legal advertising,
3 providing for redundant advertising on Internet by political
4 subdivisions or municipal authorities; and, in open meetings,
5 further providing for public notice.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Title 45 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
9 Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
10 § 308.1. Redundant advertising on Internet by political
11 subdivisions or municipal authorities.
12 (a) General rule.--If a political subdivision or municipal
13 authority is required to advertise in a newspaper of general
14 circulation, the political subdivision or municipal authority
15 may publish a redundant advertisement on the political
16 subdivision's or municipal authority's publicly accessible
17 Internet website in addition to the newspaper advertisement.
18 (b) Effect of redundant advertisement.--If the newspaper
19 advertisement fails to be timely published by the newspaper, the
 1 advertisement shall be valid on the date that it was redundantly
2 advertised on the political subdivision's or municipal
3 authority's publicly accessible Internet website.
4 (c) Proof of publication.--A political subdivision or
5 municipal authority that holds a meeting under a redundant
6 advertisement shall enter in the record a copy of the
7 advertisement provided to the newspaper and proof that the
8 political subdivision or municipal authority purchased the
9 advertisement in a timely fashion. Proof shall consist of a
10 receipt or any other similar communication showing the amount
11 paid and the date of the purchase.
12 (d) Definition.--As used in this section, the term
13 "redundant advertisement" means a copy of the information
14 submitted to a publication to be used as an advertisement in
15 accordance with the provisions of law.
16 Section 2. Section 709 of Title 65 is amended by adding a
17 subsection to read:
18 § 709. Public notice.
19 * * *
20 (b.1) Redundant advertising on Internet by political
21 subdivisions or municipal authorities.--Notwithstanding any
22 other provision of this section, a political subdivision or
23 municipal authority created by a political subdivision may
24 satisfy the public notice requirement by using a redundant
25 advertisement in accordance with 45 Pa.C.S. § 308.1 (relating to
26 redundant advertising on Internet by political subdivisions or
27 municipal authorities).
28 * * *
29 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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