| 1 | 1 | | CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1444Introduced by Assembly Member FloraFebruary 21, 2025 An act to add Section 6009 to the Government Code, relating to public notice. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 1444, as introduced, Flora. Publication: newspapers of general circulation.Existing law requires various types of notices to be provided in a newspaper of general circulation, as that term is defined, in accordance with certain prescribed publication periods and legal requirements. Existing law requires a newspaper of general circulation to meet certain criteria, including publication, a bona fide subscription list of paying subscribers, and printing and publishing at regular intervals in the state, county, or city where publication is to be given.This bill would require any public notice that is legally required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation to be published in the newspapers print publication, on the newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet, and on the statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as specified.This bill would include related legislative findings and declarations.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares as follows:(a) For more than 100 years, the public has relied on newspapers to publish public notices informing our communities about public agency hearings, design reviews, school board budgets, trustee sales, estate administration petitions, fictitious business names, and hundreds of other important legal events of interest to the public. Through public notices that appear in legally adjudicated newspapers, the state has reached all corners of California, from sparsely populated rural areas to large urban enclaves. Public notices placed in local and ethnic newspapers have informed many diverse communities across the state and ensured access to key information about our state and local governments, citizens, and legal systems.(b) As part of expanding public access to public notices, members of the public shall by law gain access to public notices on newspaper internet websites and a statewide internet website, currently capublicnotice.com, that is maintained as a joint venture of the majority of California newspapers and contains a searchable repository of state and local public notices. At the same time, it is important to maintain access to public notices for the millions of individuals who rely on newspapers to learn about matters of public interest. Online delivery of public notices to newspaper internet websites will ensure that Californians who rely on the internet for information will have the opportunity to access public notices, while newspaper delivery of public notices will ensure that the many diverse, local, and elderly readers of newspapers will also have access to this critical public information.(c) Ethnic media has long been a distinctive genre of journalism and communications, informing, engaging, and advocating on behalf of communities underserved by both the for-profit and not-for-profit general market media. It plays a unique role in upholding the fourth estate in our democracy by facilitating cross-racial and cross-ethnic communications to facilitate social integration, promote civic engagement, and address inequalities among all of the underserved communities. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that preserves public notice in adjudicated publications and to modernize and consolidate information contained in public notices for easier access to critical information.SEC. 2. Section 6009 is added to the Government Code, immediately following Section 6008, to read:6009. When any public notice is legally required by a statute, ordinance, bylaw, or judicial order to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, that notice shall be published in and on all of the following:(a) The newspapers print publication.(b) The newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet.(c) The statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as described in this chapter. The newspaper in which the notice is published shall be responsible for publishing notices on the statewide internet website. |
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| 3 | 3 | | CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1444Introduced by Assembly Member FloraFebruary 21, 2025 An act to add Section 6009 to the Government Code, relating to public notice. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 1444, as introduced, Flora. Publication: newspapers of general circulation.Existing law requires various types of notices to be provided in a newspaper of general circulation, as that term is defined, in accordance with certain prescribed publication periods and legal requirements. Existing law requires a newspaper of general circulation to meet certain criteria, including publication, a bona fide subscription list of paying subscribers, and printing and publishing at regular intervals in the state, county, or city where publication is to be given.This bill would require any public notice that is legally required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation to be published in the newspapers print publication, on the newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet, and on the statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as specified.This bill would include related legislative findings and declarations.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO |
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| 9 | 9 | | CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION |
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| 11 | 11 | | Assembly Bill |
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| 13 | 13 | | No. 1444 |
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| 15 | 15 | | Introduced by Assembly Member FloraFebruary 21, 2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | Introduced by Assembly Member Flora |
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| 18 | 18 | | February 21, 2025 |
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| 20 | 20 | | An act to add Section 6009 to the Government Code, relating to public notice. |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST |
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| 24 | 24 | | ## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST |
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| 25 | 25 | | |
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| 26 | 26 | | AB 1444, as introduced, Flora. Publication: newspapers of general circulation. |
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| 27 | 27 | | |
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| 28 | 28 | | Existing law requires various types of notices to be provided in a newspaper of general circulation, as that term is defined, in accordance with certain prescribed publication periods and legal requirements. Existing law requires a newspaper of general circulation to meet certain criteria, including publication, a bona fide subscription list of paying subscribers, and printing and publishing at regular intervals in the state, county, or city where publication is to be given.This bill would require any public notice that is legally required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation to be published in the newspapers print publication, on the newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet, and on the statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as specified.This bill would include related legislative findings and declarations. |
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| 30 | 30 | | Existing law requires various types of notices to be provided in a newspaper of general circulation, as that term is defined, in accordance with certain prescribed publication periods and legal requirements. Existing law requires a newspaper of general circulation to meet certain criteria, including publication, a bona fide subscription list of paying subscribers, and printing and publishing at regular intervals in the state, county, or city where publication is to be given. |
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| 32 | 32 | | This bill would require any public notice that is legally required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation to be published in the newspapers print publication, on the newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet, and on the statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as specified. |
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| 34 | 34 | | This bill would include related legislative findings and declarations. |
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| 35 | 35 | | |
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| 36 | 36 | | ## Digest Key |
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| 38 | 38 | | ## Bill Text |
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| 40 | 40 | | The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares as follows:(a) For more than 100 years, the public has relied on newspapers to publish public notices informing our communities about public agency hearings, design reviews, school board budgets, trustee sales, estate administration petitions, fictitious business names, and hundreds of other important legal events of interest to the public. Through public notices that appear in legally adjudicated newspapers, the state has reached all corners of California, from sparsely populated rural areas to large urban enclaves. Public notices placed in local and ethnic newspapers have informed many diverse communities across the state and ensured access to key information about our state and local governments, citizens, and legal systems.(b) As part of expanding public access to public notices, members of the public shall by law gain access to public notices on newspaper internet websites and a statewide internet website, currently capublicnotice.com, that is maintained as a joint venture of the majority of California newspapers and contains a searchable repository of state and local public notices. At the same time, it is important to maintain access to public notices for the millions of individuals who rely on newspapers to learn about matters of public interest. Online delivery of public notices to newspaper internet websites will ensure that Californians who rely on the internet for information will have the opportunity to access public notices, while newspaper delivery of public notices will ensure that the many diverse, local, and elderly readers of newspapers will also have access to this critical public information.(c) Ethnic media has long been a distinctive genre of journalism and communications, informing, engaging, and advocating on behalf of communities underserved by both the for-profit and not-for-profit general market media. It plays a unique role in upholding the fourth estate in our democracy by facilitating cross-racial and cross-ethnic communications to facilitate social integration, promote civic engagement, and address inequalities among all of the underserved communities. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that preserves public notice in adjudicated publications and to modernize and consolidate information contained in public notices for easier access to critical information.SEC. 2. Section 6009 is added to the Government Code, immediately following Section 6008, to read:6009. When any public notice is legally required by a statute, ordinance, bylaw, or judicial order to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, that notice shall be published in and on all of the following:(a) The newspapers print publication.(b) The newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet.(c) The statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as described in this chapter. The newspaper in which the notice is published shall be responsible for publishing notices on the statewide internet website. |
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| 42 | 42 | | The people of the State of California do enact as follows: |
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| 44 | 44 | | ## The people of the State of California do enact as follows: |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares as follows:(a) For more than 100 years, the public has relied on newspapers to publish public notices informing our communities about public agency hearings, design reviews, school board budgets, trustee sales, estate administration petitions, fictitious business names, and hundreds of other important legal events of interest to the public. Through public notices that appear in legally adjudicated newspapers, the state has reached all corners of California, from sparsely populated rural areas to large urban enclaves. Public notices placed in local and ethnic newspapers have informed many diverse communities across the state and ensured access to key information about our state and local governments, citizens, and legal systems.(b) As part of expanding public access to public notices, members of the public shall by law gain access to public notices on newspaper internet websites and a statewide internet website, currently capublicnotice.com, that is maintained as a joint venture of the majority of California newspapers and contains a searchable repository of state and local public notices. At the same time, it is important to maintain access to public notices for the millions of individuals who rely on newspapers to learn about matters of public interest. Online delivery of public notices to newspaper internet websites will ensure that Californians who rely on the internet for information will have the opportunity to access public notices, while newspaper delivery of public notices will ensure that the many diverse, local, and elderly readers of newspapers will also have access to this critical public information.(c) Ethnic media has long been a distinctive genre of journalism and communications, informing, engaging, and advocating on behalf of communities underserved by both the for-profit and not-for-profit general market media. It plays a unique role in upholding the fourth estate in our democracy by facilitating cross-racial and cross-ethnic communications to facilitate social integration, promote civic engagement, and address inequalities among all of the underserved communities. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that preserves public notice in adjudicated publications and to modernize and consolidate information contained in public notices for easier access to critical information. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares as follows:(a) For more than 100 years, the public has relied on newspapers to publish public notices informing our communities about public agency hearings, design reviews, school board budgets, trustee sales, estate administration petitions, fictitious business names, and hundreds of other important legal events of interest to the public. Through public notices that appear in legally adjudicated newspapers, the state has reached all corners of California, from sparsely populated rural areas to large urban enclaves. Public notices placed in local and ethnic newspapers have informed many diverse communities across the state and ensured access to key information about our state and local governments, citizens, and legal systems.(b) As part of expanding public access to public notices, members of the public shall by law gain access to public notices on newspaper internet websites and a statewide internet website, currently capublicnotice.com, that is maintained as a joint venture of the majority of California newspapers and contains a searchable repository of state and local public notices. At the same time, it is important to maintain access to public notices for the millions of individuals who rely on newspapers to learn about matters of public interest. Online delivery of public notices to newspaper internet websites will ensure that Californians who rely on the internet for information will have the opportunity to access public notices, while newspaper delivery of public notices will ensure that the many diverse, local, and elderly readers of newspapers will also have access to this critical public information.(c) Ethnic media has long been a distinctive genre of journalism and communications, informing, engaging, and advocating on behalf of communities underserved by both the for-profit and not-for-profit general market media. It plays a unique role in upholding the fourth estate in our democracy by facilitating cross-racial and cross-ethnic communications to facilitate social integration, promote civic engagement, and address inequalities among all of the underserved communities. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that preserves public notice in adjudicated publications and to modernize and consolidate information contained in public notices for easier access to critical information. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares as follows: |
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| 52 | 52 | | ### SECTION 1. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (a) For more than 100 years, the public has relied on newspapers to publish public notices informing our communities about public agency hearings, design reviews, school board budgets, trustee sales, estate administration petitions, fictitious business names, and hundreds of other important legal events of interest to the public. Through public notices that appear in legally adjudicated newspapers, the state has reached all corners of California, from sparsely populated rural areas to large urban enclaves. Public notices placed in local and ethnic newspapers have informed many diverse communities across the state and ensured access to key information about our state and local governments, citizens, and legal systems. |
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| 56 | 56 | | (b) As part of expanding public access to public notices, members of the public shall by law gain access to public notices on newspaper internet websites and a statewide internet website, currently capublicnotice.com, that is maintained as a joint venture of the majority of California newspapers and contains a searchable repository of state and local public notices. At the same time, it is important to maintain access to public notices for the millions of individuals who rely on newspapers to learn about matters of public interest. Online delivery of public notices to newspaper internet websites will ensure that Californians who rely on the internet for information will have the opportunity to access public notices, while newspaper delivery of public notices will ensure that the many diverse, local, and elderly readers of newspapers will also have access to this critical public information. |
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| 58 | 58 | | (c) Ethnic media has long been a distinctive genre of journalism and communications, informing, engaging, and advocating on behalf of communities underserved by both the for-profit and not-for-profit general market media. It plays a unique role in upholding the fourth estate in our democracy by facilitating cross-racial and cross-ethnic communications to facilitate social integration, promote civic engagement, and address inequalities among all of the underserved communities. |
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| 60 | 60 | | (d) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that preserves public notice in adjudicated publications and to modernize and consolidate information contained in public notices for easier access to critical information. |
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| 62 | 62 | | SEC. 2. Section 6009 is added to the Government Code, immediately following Section 6008, to read:6009. When any public notice is legally required by a statute, ordinance, bylaw, or judicial order to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, that notice shall be published in and on all of the following:(a) The newspapers print publication.(b) The newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet.(c) The statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as described in this chapter. The newspaper in which the notice is published shall be responsible for publishing notices on the statewide internet website. |
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| 64 | 64 | | SEC. 2. Section 6009 is added to the Government Code, immediately following Section 6008, to read: |
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| 66 | 66 | | ### SEC. 2. |
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| 68 | 68 | | 6009. When any public notice is legally required by a statute, ordinance, bylaw, or judicial order to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, that notice shall be published in and on all of the following:(a) The newspapers print publication.(b) The newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet.(c) The statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as described in this chapter. The newspaper in which the notice is published shall be responsible for publishing notices on the statewide internet website. |
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| 70 | 70 | | 6009. When any public notice is legally required by a statute, ordinance, bylaw, or judicial order to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, that notice shall be published in and on all of the following:(a) The newspapers print publication.(b) The newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet.(c) The statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as described in this chapter. The newspaper in which the notice is published shall be responsible for publishing notices on the statewide internet website. |
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| 72 | 72 | | 6009. When any public notice is legally required by a statute, ordinance, bylaw, or judicial order to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, that notice shall be published in and on all of the following:(a) The newspapers print publication.(b) The newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet.(c) The statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as described in this chapter. The newspaper in which the notice is published shall be responsible for publishing notices on the statewide internet website. |
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| 76 | 76 | | 6009. When any public notice is legally required by a statute, ordinance, bylaw, or judicial order to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, that notice shall be published in and on all of the following: |
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| 78 | 78 | | (a) The newspapers print publication. |
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| 80 | 80 | | (b) The newspapers internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet. |
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| 82 | 82 | | (c) The statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as described in this chapter. The newspaper in which the notice is published shall be responsible for publishing notices on the statewide internet website. |
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