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Committee votes to advance bill allowing electronic publication of construction bid notices, rejecting requirement to print in small newspapers
Summary
The Transportation Committee voted 4–2 to give a due pass to Senate Bill 2062, which removes a requirement to publish certain DOT construction bid notices in small local newspapers; proponents cited administrative cost savings and contractor access, while opponents flagged community notification and accessibility for older residents.
The Senate Transportation Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 2062 after extended discussion about whether the Department of Transportation should be required to publish construction bid notices in small local newspapers. The motion to give the bill a due pass was made by Senator Rummel and seconded by Vice Chair Corey; the roll call was Chairman Clemens (Aye), Vice Chair Corey (Aye), Senator Hogan (No), Senator Klein (No), Senator Paulson (Aye) and Senator Romo (Aye), producing a 4–2 vote in favor.
Proponents argued the requirement to print notices in numerous small papers imposes administrative burdens and extra costs that are unnecessary in an era of widely available online bid publication. Senator Rummel said, “Senate Bill 2062 makes sense,” and cited electronic availability and DOT’s own online systems as adequate ways to reach contractors. Senator Paulson and others said consolidating notices would reduce redundant administrative work across many counties.
Opponents and some committee members raised concerns about accessibility and community notice. One senator noted that older residents still read public notices in print and that local newspapers serve as a community information source; that senator said the assumption that everyone can find notices online is not always valid. Committee members also discussed cases in which local visibility and controversy (an example cited was a Medora project involving roundabouts and downtown traffic patterns) prompted substantial local news coverage without the generic newspaper ad.
The committee adopted the due-pass motion. The bill will be carried by Senator Corey for further legislative steps.
Why it matters: Supporters said the change would reduce direct printing costs (a cited figure was roughly $29,000 plus administrative overhead) and ease the burden of managing notices across many small publications; opponents said printing helps ensure community members — particularly older residents — have access to local-government information.
What’s next: The bill advance places SB 2062 on the committee’s list for a member to carry; committee staff and bill sponsors will proceed with the next legislative steps.
