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Panel advances bill letting Florida agencies publish legal notices online; press groups warn of fragmentation

Florida House Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety · February 26, 2026

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Summary

A modernization bill would let agencies publish required legal notices on official or private websites, but newspapers and transparency advocates warned it would fragment access and reduce public engagement; committee approved the measure with an amendment to require free public access.

Representative Griffiths presented CS for HB 1009, which gives clerks, tax collectors and water management districts more options for publishing legal notices — including an official website, a private site designated by the agency, county websites or newspapers. The sponsor added an amendment to require that notices posted on any platform be free to view.

News organizations and public‑access groups urged the committee to oppose the bill as written. Carolyn Nolte, president and CEO of the Florida Press Association, said the proposal "will further fragment and dilute important governmental information," citing floridapublicnotices.com’s reach and archival function. Common Cause and the Florida Press Association argued that the bill would make notices harder for citizens to find and track. The Florida League of Cities and some counties supported more flexible publishing options.

Committee members discussed safeguards including carve‑outs for smaller counties and the amendment requiring free public access. The committee reported CS/HB 1009 favorably as amended (14‑3).

What’s next: The bill proceeds with the sponsor and opponents indicating continued negotiation on reach and affidavit/proof‑of‑publication language.