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Committee approves bill letting smaller counties post official notices online instead of costly newspaper ads
Summary
Representative Jennifer Decker said House Bill 368 would let counties with fewer than 80,000 residents use alternatives to paid newspaper ads for official public notices by posting the full notice on an official website or a digital notice site.
Representative Jennifer Decker told the committee House Bill 368 “removes an unfair rule in KRS 424.145 that only allows local governments in counties with more than 80,000 residents to use cost saving alternatives for publishing public notices.”
Decker said the bill would allow smaller counties and local government units to publish a brief newspaper notice directing the public to an official government website that posts the full notice and related documents, or to use a digital newspaper site showing the full notice. John Park, deputy judge/executive of Shelby County, and Shelley Hampton of the Kentucky Association of Counties supported the bill, telling the committee it would help counties that have missed deadlines or do not have reliable newspaper coverage.
David Thompson, executive director of the Kentucky Press Association, said he supports moving carefully and recommended minimum website standards. He told the committee that a legislative study found newspaper advertising costs were modest, “point 16% of a city's budget... That's $16 of every $10,000 that they spend, goes to newspaper advertisements,” and he cited examples of municipal websites that he said were out of date (Stamping Ground, Sadieville, Orchard Grass Hills, Crestwood, Goshen, River Bluff, Campbellsburg). “Before this is developed, the legislature needs to set some standards for what constitutes a website and what needs to be on there,” Thompson said.
Proponents said the option would improve efficiency and preserve public access where newspapers are not available or timely. Representative Decker said the proposal would allow smaller localities “to save money and improve efficiency while still ensuring public access to important information.”
During the roll call recorded in the transcript, members recorded affirmative votes including Representatives Bauman, Bray, Brown, Chester Barton, Doan, Fleming, Freeland, Griffey, Hampton, Iams, Lewis, Meredith, Neighbors, Ramer, Rorcks, Stalker, Whitten and Chairman Flannery. The chair announced the ayes had it and the bill “should pass.”
Supporters and press association representatives said they would continue to work on technical standards for websites and posting to ensure accessibility and reliability.
The chair then moved on to other business.
