Credit: Library of Congress
Whether it’s a school board deciding on a several-hundred million dollar budget with a tax hike or the supervisors or council voting on a new housing or commercial development, local government decisions impact your wallet, your neighborhood, and your family. You deserve to know about them before they happen.
For 50 years, Pennsylvania law has mandated that “public notices” that advise citizens of government considerations and actions be in printed newspapers. In 1976, when this law was written and the size of U.S. newsrooms was at its zenith, that made sense. But today, as print papers cut staff, move to days-late mail delivery, lose more and more subscribers, and are swallowed by out-of-state Wall Street firms and private equity groups in distant places, it is clear the law hasn’t kept up.
Right now, the Pennsylvania House is considering amendments to House Bill 1291. A vote may take place soon.
Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
Proponents of HB 1291 call it “modernization.” In reality, it is a protectionist measure developed by print lobbyists and designed to cement a 20th-century monopoly that serves special interests at the expense of transparency and your tax dollars.
One of the most egregious parts of the amended HB 1291 is what we call the “Ghost Paper” loophole. Under the current language, online-only news sites—even those like ours that have served Bucks County for more than a decade—are barred from competing for public notices unless a print paper completely ceases to exist. Readership or the price for publication of public notices doesn’t matter.
The loophole protects so-called “ghost papers,” which are outlets with no real local journalism and skeleton crews that exist primarily to collect legal ad revenue because they happen to publish using a printing press. It’s a “legacy tax” on your local government. Your school boards, Bucks County government, and municipalities are currently forced to pay inflated, exorbitant rates to print publications with dwindling reach while being denied the right to use digital-first outlets that offer larger, more engaged readership and more cost-effective rates.
The proponents of the status quo, led by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association (PNA) which helped author HB 1291, argue that only legacy papers provide the “independent oversight” needed for public notices.
Yet, the amended bill creates a glaring double standard. It imposes strict requirements for original content and local staffing on digital publishers but exempts legacy print papers from these same rules.
If the goal is quality local journalism and public access, why aren’t the standards universal? Why are legacy papers given a pass while local, small-business owners are buried under red tape?
Independent local news publishers aren’t asking for a handout. Not at all. We are asking for a level playing field that reflects the reality of how Pennsylvanians get their news in 2026. Other states have already figured this out.
Virginia recently passed bipartisan reform that allows online-only publishers to compete for notices based on free market principals, not their medium. It has been a success.
LevittownNow.com, NewtownPANow.com, and NewHopeFreePress.com and the teams behind dozens of other local news sites believe Pennsylvania should follow suit by:
- Ending the Print Monopoly: Allow municipalities to choose the most effective and affordable platform, whether digital or print.
- Ensuring Fairness: Apply the same standards to every publisher, regardless of whether they use ink or pixels.
- Providing Taxpayer Relief: Give local governments (as they have asked for) the flexibility to save money by moving away from required, high-cost print ads when effective digital options exist.
We are saying that independent, local, digital news organizations, which many of you read every single day, should be allowed to compete to keep you informed.
The state has moved on from the era of “All the President’s Men” and smoking in the Capitol. Our transparency laws must do the same.
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We urge our local lawmakers to reject the current version of HB 1291 and demand amendments that actually modernize public notice laws for the 21st century.
It’s time to stop protecting a monopoly, use common sense, and start fighting for the public’s right to know.
Thank you,
Tom Sofield, Publisher
Click here to tell State Rep. Robert Freeman, who introduced the current flawed bill, or call 610-253-5543
Click here to tell State Rep. Perry Warren or call 215-493-5420
Click here to tell State Rep. Kristin Marcell or call 215-364-3414
Click here to tell State Sen. Frank Farry or call 215-638-1784
Click here to tell State Sen. Steve Santarsiero or call 215-497-9490
