HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5101 FILED ON: 5/14/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4664
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Alice Hanlon Peisch and Carmine Lawrence Gentile
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act allowing "print-free" digital legal notices for the town of Lincoln.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Alice Hanlon Peisch | 14th Norfolk | 5/14/2024 |
Carmine Lawrence Gentile | 13th Middlesex | 5/14/2024 |
Michael J. Barrett | Third Middlesex | 5/14/2024 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5101 FILED ON: 5/14/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4664
By Representatives Peisch of Wellesley and Gentile of Sudbury, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4664) of Alice Hanlon Peisch, Carmine Lawrence Gentile and Michael J. Barrett (by vote of the town) that the town of Lincoln be authorized to satisfy legal notice requirements by digital publication. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.] |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act allowing "print-free" digital legal notices for the town of Lincoln.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Section 1.Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to allow, but not require the Town of Lincoln and its subdivisions to satisfy legal notice requirements entirely by digital publication as voted necessary by its Select Board and School Committee in light of the changing landscape of print newspaper businesses, particularly at the local level.
Section 2.Means of Legal Notice Publication
Notwithstanding G.L. c. 4, section 13 (b), wherever the town of Lincoln, Lincoln Public Schools and/or their subdivisions, committees, boards, commissions, or offices are required by statute, ordinance, by-law or judicial order to publish a legal notice in a newspaper or newspaper of general circulation, the person, corporation, agency, authority, municipality, or legal entity may satisfy such requirement by one or more of the following means:
A.a print newspaper of local or general circulation;
B.a newspaper’s website;
C.websites reporting local news and opinion which satisfy all criteria for digital publication as set forth in G.L., c. 4, section 13(b);
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.Nothing set forth in this Act shall be construed to alter or amend the time or timing of publication of legal notices set forth in the General Laws.
Section 4.This act shall take effect upon passage, subject to any editorial changes of form only that may be suggested by the General Court and any amendments that the Select Board determines to be within the scope of the general purpose objectives of this petition.