HB576 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Andrew SorrellAuditor

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Public notices and legal notices, to provide for electronic publication through state-sanctioned public notice website, Legal Notice Savings and Modernization Act, Secs. 6-8-64, 17-4-1 am'd.

Summary

HB 576 would move public notices from newspapers to a state-run online public notice website, with an optional opt-out for counties and municipalities and a posting fee, while preserving free public access and searchable archives.

What This Bill Does

The Secretary of State would create and run a statewide public notice website where required notices can be posted with legal effect, and it would be free for the public to use with searchable archives. The state could charge a reasonable posting fee to the entity posting the notice, while all other uses would remain free. Counties and municipalities could vote to opt out if online publication wouldn’t reach their audience; if they opt out, notices would stay in newspapers until they vote otherwise, with written findings delivered to the Secretary of State within 10 days.

Who It Affects

• Counties and municipalities – have the option to opt out of online publication, affecting whether notices for their area are posted online or stay in newspapers.
• Residents and notice publishers (newspapers and other entities that publish notices) – would gain free online access to current and archived notices, and posting would incur a fee.

Key Provisions

• The Secretary of State must create, maintain, and operate the public notice website (or contract with a third party), and a third party must provide full access to the site's technical operations if contracted.
• The site must be free for public use and searchable, with public notices (including local legislation) searchable by keyword, area, sponsor, subject matter, and county.
• The Secretary of State may charge a reasonable posting fee reflecting actual publication costs; other uses of the site would be free.
• Counties and municipalities may opt out by majority vote if online publication would not adequately notify their audience; opt-out decisions require written notice to the Secretary of State within 10 days and, if opted out, newspaper publication continues until adequate online notice is found.
• Public notices must be delivered to the Secretary of State for publication on the statewide website, and the rates for publication include print and statewide online publication; local laws may set different rates.
• Beginning October 1, 2020, notices required by law to be published in newspapers may be published online instead, subject to opt-out provisions; the Secretary of State must develop and test the website by September 1, 2020.
• Counties and municipalities must inform the public about the change to internet publication by Sept 1, 2020; the secretary may conduct a no-cost public information campaign.
• The act updates rate rules (6-8-64) to cap publication costs and require newspapers to forward notices to the statewide site, with publication costs covering print and online publication.
• The act also amends 17-4-1 to require voter registration lists to be published on the statewide site or in a newspaper, with a process to correct omissions before primary elections.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Notice, Legal