HARRISBURG – Rep. Jason Ortitay of Washington & Allegheny Counties plans to reintroduce legislation modernizing PA’s outdated advertising and public notice requirements for local governments, allowing greater flexibility in how required notices are delivered to the public. PA’s public advertising law dates back to 1976, an era when print newspapers were the primary source of information. Currently, municipalities, school districts, and authorities are required to publish legal notices, including meeting notices, bid solicitations, contract awards, tax information and ordinances, in printed newspapers of general circulation. Ortitay’s legislation would allow local governments to meet public notice requirements from a menu of options designed to best reach residents, such as municipal websites, email alerts, social media or digital news platforms. The bill does not eliminate notice requirements, instead, it updates the law to reflect how Pennsylvanians actually receive information today.
REP. JASON ORTITAY