2021 Senate Bill 258 / 2022 Public Act 76

Mandate newspapers post printed legal notices on free website

Introduced in the Senate

March 18, 2021

Introduced by Sen. Curtis VanderWall (R-35)

To require a newspaper in which government legal notices are published to also place these on a section of a website that can be accessed at no charge.

Referred to the Committee on Local Government

June 23, 2021

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (S-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

Oct. 5, 2021

Passed in the Senate 34 to 0 (details)

Received in the House

Oct. 5, 2021

Referred to the Committee on Local Government and Municipal Finance

March 16, 2022

Reported without amendment

Without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill pass.

April 28, 2022

Passed in the House 61 to 38 (details)

To require a newspaper in which government legal notices are published to also place these on a section of a website that can be accessed at no charge. Note: Before the internet, even most small communities had daily or weekly newspapers, and state laws required them to publish certain local government notices to the public, for which they were paid. As the 21st century advances these laws have been modified to reflect changes in technology and the newspaper industry, with some changes opposed by newspapers previously paid to run the notices.

Signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

May 12, 2022