HB 424 — An Act amending Titles 45 (Legal Notices) and 65 (Public Officers) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in legal advertising, providing for redundant advertising on Internet by political subdivisions or municipal authorities; and, in open meetings, further providing for public notice.

PRINTER'S NO.   399

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 424
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY B. MILLER, FREEMAN, GREINER, KHAN, HAMM, MENTZER,
        CIRESI, ZIMMERMAN, JAMES, FLICK, BANTA, REICHARD AND
        T. JONES, JANUARY 31, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 31, 2025


                                     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)     Publication.--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 the advertisement
 2   was redundantly advertised on the political subdivision's or
 3   municipal 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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