The Georgia Press Association is launching a campaign to raise awareness of its public notice website, www.GeorgiaPublicNotice.com, following legislation earlier this year that proposed a state-run alternative.
Lawmakers had introduced a bill to create a public notice site managed by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
Under the measure, advertisers would have been required to pay an additional $25 fee for each notice, in addition to publishing in local newspapers.
GPA said it worked to show legislators that legal organ newspapers already provide online access to notices through the existing statewide site.
“Thankfully, because of the hard work of our team at GPA and many of you, the legislation did not advance,” the association said. “But the press association wants to ensure that all Georgians are aware that this valuable resource is available to them at no cost.”
The site, managed by GPA, hosts public notices from every legal organ in Georgia at no additional charge to advertisers or taxpayers.
More than 400,000 notices are posted annually, covering everything from adoption and alcohol license applications to sheriff’s and tax sale advertisements.
GPA said Georgia’s site contains more public notices than any other state’s system and emphasized the importance of maintaining both print and digital distribution.
According to the association, newspaper websites are easier to find and attract more traffic than government sites, and print publication ensures accessibility, independence, and proper legal archiving.
To support its awareness campaign, GPA has designed advertising materials that member newspapers can use in print and online.
Additional resources, including best practice guides and editorial content, are available through the Public Notice Resource Center at www.pnrc.com.
