
Senate approves legal notices bill
NEW JERSEY – The law requiring the publication of public notices in New Jersey newspapers would be extended for an additional two months and expanded to include online outlets, under terms of bipartisan legislation approved by the Senate last week.
Sponsored by Senator Paul Sarlo, Senate President Nick Scutari and Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco, the bill, S-3957, would continue the dissemination of official public notices and legal advertisements through newspapers, with the addition of digital versions of the qualifying news outlets until March 1, 2025.
“This will extend the existing process for legal notices with the addition of digital editions of news sites,” said Sarlo, the chair of the Senate Budget Committee. “It’s a short-term solution that will give us the time to develop a more permanent system that accommodates the rapid changes in the newspaper landscape. We need to take the time to get this right with an updated process that maintains public transparency and protects the taxpayers.”
“The rapid changes in the news industry threaten to make the existing public notification system ineffective,” said Scutari. “We need to modernize the law so that the public continues to be fully informed of the actions of government entities with a process that maintains transparency and accessibility. This bill gives us the time to work together for a long-term remedy.”
“This stop-gap measure will give us time to establish a plan that both recognizes and utilizes technological advancements while maintaining the familiarity and transparency that constituents are accustomed to,” said Bucco. “With this bill, we can slow down the process, bring all stakeholders to the table, and ensure we find a solution that works for everyone.”
The public notices include everything from public meetings and ordinances to the procurement of goods and services.
The legislation was approved by the Senate with a vote of 36-0.