SB448 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

William “Bill” M. BeasleySenator

Democrat

Co-Sponsors

Del MarshPaul SanfordBill Holtzclaw

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Legal notices, by counties and municipalities, electronic publication on Internet website, authorized

Summary

SB448 would let Alabama counties and municipalities publish legal notices on an Internet website instead of requiring newspaper publication, with posting at the main office and online access for the public.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the bill allows legal notices required by law to be published to instead appear on a notice website, not in a newspaper. It requires the notice to also be posted at the county or municipal principal office. Notices must remain available on the website until the last posting date required by law expires, and the website must list all current notices with a public search function. The bill also defines what counts as a legal notice and what a notice website is.

Who It Affects

• Counties and municipalities: may publish legal notices on a notice website instead of newspaper publication, and must post notices at the principal office.
• Residents and the general public: gain online access to current legal notices through the notice website.
• Administrators of notice websites (nongovernmental entities): responsible for maintaining the site to ensure notices are accessible.
• Judges of probate and city clerks: determine which website meets adequacy standards for notice publication.

Key Provisions

• Section defining 'legal notice' and 'notice website' (including that a notice website is maintained by a nongovernmental entity and judged adequate by the probate judge or city clerk).
• Section 2: A legal notice required to be published in a county or municipality may be published on a notice website and is not required to be published in a newspaper; it must also be posted at the principal office.
• Section 3: Notices must remain available on the website until the last posting date required by law has expired.
• Section 4: The notice website must list all current legal notices and provide a search function for public access.
• Section 5: Any laws or parts of laws that conflict with this act are repealed.
• Section 6: The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after it passes and is approved by the Governor (or becomes law otherwise).

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Municipalities