S 2894

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3493  FILED ON: 12/18/2025
  SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2894
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _________________
  PRESENTED BY:
  Cynthia Stone Creem and Greg Schwartz
  _________________
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 authorizing print-free digital legal notices in the city of Newton.
  _______________
  PETITION OF:
NAME:  DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
Cynthia Stone Creem  Norfolk and Middlesex
Greg Schwartz  12th Middlesex
John J. Lawn, Jr.  10th Middlesex  12/19/2025
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  SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3493  FILED ON: 12/18/2025
  SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2894
By Ms. Creem and Mr. Schwartz of Newton, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No.
2894) of Cynthia Stone Creem, Greg Schwartz and John J. Lawn, Jr. (with approval of the mayor
and city council) for legislation to authorize print-free digital legal notices in the city of Newton.
Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
An Act authorizing print-free digital legal notices in the city of Newton.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1SECTION 1. Notwithstanding subsection (b) of section 13 of Chapter 4 of the General
2 Laws, wherever the city of Newton and their subdivisions, committees, boards, commissions,
3 bodies, or officers are required by statute, ordinance, by-law, regulation or judicial order to
4 publish a legal notice in a newspaper or newspaper of general circulation, such requirement may
5 be met through one or more of the following means:
6(i) A print newspaper of local or general circulation;
7(ii) A newspaper's website;
8(iii) Websites reporting local news and opinion which satisfy all criteria for digital
9 publication
10as set forth in said subsection (b) of said section 13 of chapter 4;
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11(iv) A statewide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices; or
12(v) A city-wide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices.
13SECTION 2. Nothing set forth in this act shall be construed to alter or amend the time or
14 timing of publication of legal notices set forth in the General Laws.
15SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
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