AN ACT AUTHORIZING PRINT-FREE DIGITAL LEGAL NOTICES IN THE TOWN OF ARLINGTON
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. Notwithstanding subsection (b) of section 13 of chapter 4 of the General Laws, wherever the town of Arlington and Arlington public schools and their subdivisions, committees, boards, commissions or officers are required by statute, ordinance, by-law or judicial order to publish a legal notice in a newspaper or newspaper of general circulation, such requirement may be met through 1 or more of the following means, as authorized by local vote in section 2:
(i) a newspaper of local or general circulation's print publication;
(ii) a newspaper of local or general circulation's website;
(iii) a website reporting local news and opinion that satisfies all criteria for digital publication established in subsection (c) of said section 13 of said chapter 4;
(iv) a statewide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices; or
(v) a town-wide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices.
SECTION 2. (a) For all legal notices issued by the town of Arlington boards, committees, commissions and officers including, but not limited to, the Arlington zoning board of appeals, Arlington redevelopment board, conservation commission, Arlington historic district commissions, town manager, town treasurer, town clerk, police chief, fire chief and building commissioner, the town of Arlington select board shall, by majority vote, determine at least 2 of the means of legal notice publication set forth in section 1 to satisfy the publication requirements.
(b) For all legal notices issued by Arlington public school boards, committees, commissions and officers, the school committee shall, by majority vote, determine at least 2 of the means of legal notice publication set forth in section 1.
(c) The town of Arlington select board and school committee may reconsider their means of publication votes at their discretion and elect different means of publication from the options established under section 1 by majority vote.
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 its passage.
Approved, January 8, 2025.