PSATS Applauds “Transparency in Mandated Advertising Act” Effort 

On Friday, PSATS applauded the sponsors of a proposal for a new legislative initiative to require newspapers to disclose the costs of mandatory legal advertisements in a press release. PSATS is asking township officials to contact their senators to co-sponsor this legislation.  

“I think every local government will agree, Pennsylvania’s legal advertising mandate for is stuck in the last century,” PSATS executive director Dave Sanko said. “The way people get their news and information has changed dramatically in recent years, but not the law, resulting in precious local dollars being spent on advertising nobody sees.” 

Senators Ryan Aument (Lancaster) and Kristin Phillips-Hill (York) announced forthcoming legislation to require newspapers to disclose the cost incurred by local governments due to mandatory legal advertising and posting of public notices. The legislation would bring transparency for the residents of townships, other local governments, and school districts by showing the cost of publishing the mandated newspaper advertisements. 

“These mandates are costing communities needed money, and really limit public access to information. This legislation will help start the process and we’re asking township members to contact their senators to sign-on to this effort,” Sanko said. “We need to modernize the law to ensure public notices are where people will actually see them by providing additional advertising options to reach a wider audience, including advertising on township websites and in community papers.”