Politics & Government
Should Virginia Relax the Rules for Public Notices?
Some Virginia lawmakers are pushing for more relaxed rules on public notices. Others are concerned that proposed rules will make it more difficult for taxpayers to keep tabs on their money.
A number of Virginia lawmakers are promoting bills which would allow local governments to put more public notices online instead of in newspapers.
One bill—which delegates Tim Hugo (R-40th district), Jim LeMunyon (R-67th district) and David Bulova (D-37th district) voted in favor of on Tuesday—would allow local governments to place information about bids for public projects on a government website instead of in newspapers, The Virginian-Pilot reported. The House of Delegates passed the bill by a vote of 78-21. Another bill reduces the amount of information that must be published in an ad about a timeshare foreclosure. The House passed that bill 98-2.
Proponents of the bills argue that relaxed regulations will save localities much-needed money at a time when the state is increasing the number of unfunded mandates. But some say that publicizing public notices in newspapers provides greater transparency, and an easier way to keep governments accountable. In all, lawmakers have proposed eight bills this session to relax the rules on public notices, The Virginian-Pilot reported.
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