CS/HB 7049 (Judiciary Committee) gives a governmental agency the option to publish legal notices on a publicly accessible website of a county instead of a print newspaper. If a government chooses to make this change, they must show it results in a cost savings. Notices must be published in a searchable format and indicate the date it was first published. Also, a local government that chooses to switch to online notice publication must run at least annually in a newspaper of general circulation or another publication that is mailed or delivered to all residents and property owners within the government’s jurisdiction with a notice indicating that those individuals may elect to receive public notices from the governmental agency by first-class mail or email upon registering their information with the agency. The agency must also maintain a list of the individuals who opt to directly receive notices. The bill was amended to require governmental agencies with a population under 160,000 to first hold a public hearing and determine that there is sufficient internet access in the area before public notice changes can be made. CS/HB 7049 passed the Senate (26-13) and the House (79-40) and is awaiting action by the Governor. (Taggart)