Bill > SB2450

This bill mandates that the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR), a state agency that studies issues affecting local governments, conduct a comprehensive study on the effectiveness and efficiency of public notice methods, particularly examining whether newspapers of general circulation are still the best way for governments to inform the public. The study will also look at how public information access has changed over time, the impact of declining newspaper readership and publication frequency, the costs and capabilities of governments to manage online public notice systems, and how taxpayer money is currently spent on newspaper publications, with a consideration of whether citizens should have to pay to access these notices. Furthermore, TACIR will investigate the role of broadband internet access, especially in rural areas, and review public notice practices in other states to identify technological advancements and their effects on transparency, accountability, and civic engagement, consulting with various stakeholders like local governments, newspaper publishers, and open government advocates throughout the process, and will ultimately report its findings and recommendations to the state legislature.