New jersey seeks to expand newspaper public notice eligibility, regulations

New Jersey Seeks to Expand Newspaper Public Notice Eligibility, Regulations

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1 min read
March 2, 2025

TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced a bill that would extend the eligibility of newspapers and online publications for public notices and legal advertisements while imposing new reporting requirements on these publications.

The legislation, Senate Bill 4136, would allow newspapers used for legal notices between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, to remain eligible through June 30, 2025 in either print or electronic format. This marks a four-month extension from the current deadline of March 1, 2025.

Additionally, the bill mandates that within 30 days of enactment, newspapers and online publications providing public notice services must submit detailed data to the Governor and the Office of Public Information in the Office of Legislative Services. Required data includes:

  • Number of paid and unpaid digital or print subscriptions per public body
  • Daily newspaper sales by retailers
  • Amounts billed for public notices and legal ads (2020-2024)
  • Average retail price of digital and print subscriptions
  • Daily page views for public notices on digital platforms since January 1, 2024
  • Any other information requested by the Legislative Services Commission

The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

The legislation aims to ensure continued access to public notices while increasing transparency on the financial and readership metrics of newspapers and online publications providing these services.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

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