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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5097 FILED ON: 5/9/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4650
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Michelle L. Ciccolo
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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 Lexington.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Michelle L. Ciccolo15th Middlesex5/7/2024Cindy F. FriedmanFourth Middlesex5/9/2024Michael J. BarrettThird Middlesex5/10/2024 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5097 FILED ON: 5/9/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4650
By Representative Ciccolo of Lexington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4650) of
Michelle L. Ciccolo, Cindy F. Friedman and Michael J. Barrett (by vote of the town) that the
town of Lexington 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 Lexington.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 1. Purpose
2 The purpose of this Act is to allow, but not require, the Town of Lexington to satisfy
3legal notice requirements entirely by digital publication as voted necessary by its Select Board in
4light of the changing landscape of print newspaper businesses, particularly at the local level.
5 Section 2. Means of Legal Notice Publication
6 Notwithstanding section 13(b) of chapter 4 of the General Laws or any other general or
7special law to the contrary, wherever the Town of Lexington, or any committee, department,
8board, commission, or officer thereof is to publish a legal notice in a newspaper or newspaper of
9general circulation, such requirement may be satisfied by one or more of the following means as
10authorized by local vote in Section 3:
11 A. a newspaper of local or general circulation’s print publication; 2 of 2
12 B. a newspaper’s website;
13 C. websites reporting local news and opinion which satisfy all criteria for digital
14publication set forth in said section 13(b) of chapter 4 of the General Laws;
15 D. a statewide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices; or
16 E. a town wide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices.
17 Section 3. Local Vote on Means of Publication
18 A. For all legal notices to be issued by Town of Lexington committee, department,
19board, commission, or officer other than the School Committee, Lexington Public Schools, or a
20department or officer of the School Committee or Lexington Public Schools, the Select Board by
21majority vote shall determine at least two of the means of legal notice publication set forth in
22Section 2 to satisfy publication requirements.
23 B. For all legal notices to be issued by the School Committee, Lexington Public
24Schools, or a department or officer of the School Committee or Lexington Public Schools, or a
25department or officer of the School Committee or Lexington Public Schools, the School
26Committee by majority vote shall determine at least two of the means of legal notice publication
27set forth in Section 2 to satisfy publication requirements.
28 C. The Select Board and School Committee may revisit their means of publication
29votes at their discretion and elect different means of publication for the options afforded under
30Section 2 by majority vote.
31 Section 4: This Act shall take effect upon passage.