Section 1. Purpose

The purpose of this Act is to allow, but not require, the Town of Lexington to satisfy legal notice requirements entirely by digital publication as voted necessary by its Select Board in light of the changing landscape of print newspaper businesses, particularly at the local level.

Section 2. Means of Legal Notice Publication

Notwithstanding section 13(b) of chapter 4 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, wherever the Town of Lexington, or any committee, department, board, commission, or officer thereof is to publish a legal notice in a newspaper or newspaper of general circulation, such requirement may be satisfied by one or more of the following means as authorized by local vote in Section 3:

A.a newspaper of local or general circulation’s print publication;

B.a newspaper’s website;

C.websites reporting local news and opinion which satisfy all criteria for digital publication set forth in said section 13(b) of chapter 4 of the General Laws;

D.a statewide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices; or

E.a town wide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices.

Section 3. Local Vote on Means of Publication

A.For all legal notices to be issued by Town of Lexington committee, department, board, commission, or officer other than the School Committee, Lexington Public Schools, or a department or officer of the School Committee or Lexington Public Schools, the Select Board by majority vote shall determine at least two of the means of legal notice publication set forth in Section 2 to satisfy publication requirements.

B.For all legal notices to be issued by the School Committee, Lexington Public Schools, or a department or officer of the School Committee or Lexington Public Schools, or a department or officer of the School Committee or Lexington Public Schools, the School Committee by majority vote shall determine at least two of the means of legal notice publication set forth in Section 2 to satisfy publication requirements.

C.The Select Board and School Committee may revisit their means of publication votes at their discretion and elect different means of publication for the options afforded under Section 2 by majority vote.

Section 4: This Act shall take effect upon passage.