Michigan House passes bill to move public notices from newspapers to Internet

Government organizations in Michigan could soon no longer be required to post public notices in newspapers, reports the Michigan Press Association. The House passed HB5560 by a 62-47 margin on Thursday. The bill would over a 10-year period "phase-out requirements that public notices be published in print newspapers that cover the jurisdictions of local governments" and "phase-in requirements that the notices be published online."

Supporters say the move will cut costs—eliminating thousands of dollars spent each year publishing in newspapers—while also reaching a wider audience online, MPA writes.

Opponents argue that newspapers are a more effective way to inform the public, and the bill would allow local governments to have more control over their advertisements and "remove the independence that newspapers bring to the process," MPA writes.