Pennsylvania 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.

Bill Text

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
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.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 45 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 308.1. Redundant advertising on Internet by political
subdivisions or municipal authorities .
(a) Publication.--If a political subdivision or municipal
authority is required to advertise in a newspaper of general
circulation, the political subdivision or municipal authority
may publish a redundant advertisement on the political
subdivision's or municipal authority's publicly accessible
Internet website in addition to the newspaper advertisement.
(b) Effect of redundant advertisement.--If the newspaper
advertisement fails to be timely published by the newspaper, the
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advertisement shall be valid on the date that the advertisement
was redundantly advertised on the political subdivision's or
municipal authority's publicly accessible Internet website.
(c) Proof of publication.--A political subdivision or
municipal authority that holds a meeting under a redundant
advertisement shall enter in the record a copy of the
advertisement provided to the newspaper and proof that the
political subdivision or municipal authority purchased the
advertisement in a timely fashion. Proof shall consist of a
receipt or any other similar communication showing the amount
paid and the date of the purchase.
(d) Definition.--As used in this section, the term
"redundant advertisement" means a copy of the information
submitted to a publication to be used as an advertisement in
accordance with the provisions of law.
Section 2. Section 709 of Title 65 is amended by adding a
subsection to read:
§ 709. Public notice.
* * *
(b.1) Redundant advertising on Internet by political
subdivisions or municipal authorities .--Notwithstanding any
other provision of this section, a political subdivision or
municipal authority created by a political subdivision may
satisfy the public notice requirement by using a redundant
advertisement in accordance with 45 Pa.C.S. § 308.1 (relating to
redundant advertising on Internet by political subdivisions or
municipal authorities ).
* * *
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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