Public Notices are a permanent and independent record of government and court actions. These include state and local government meetings, rule making, available contracts, zoning changes, and many more, as required by law. In addition, parties to some court proceedings, such as foreclosures, probate, and estate actions are required to publish notices to ensure notification of affected parties, as well as the general public.
These notices also alert business owners, large and small, to potential government contractual jobs, helping to ensure economic activity across a level playing field. Public notices have existed to ensure transparency in all levels of government since the founding of the United States.
State and local notices are published in Maine newspapers and are also recorded at mainenotices.com, where anyone can browse or search notices, and sign up to receive email alerts when relevant notices appear.
An American Tradition
Most of us take public notices for granted. Which is understandable. After all, they’ve been running in newspapers for hundreds of years. So we tend to forget about them.
But when you really think about it they’re kind of amazing. Federal and state governments actually passed laws requiring themselves — and politically powerful private interests — to disclose information about their plans and activities.
They represent the best of self-government. Along with open-meeting and freedom of information laws, they’re an important part of the three-legged stool of government transparency. They ensure citizens have access to information they need to participate in the governance of their communities. They’re an essential element of our fragile democracy.
Unfortunately, proposals that would drastically revise our public notice laws put their vital role in our democracy at risk.
This pamphlet explores the origins, purpose and defining characteristics of public notice in the U.S., and will address the present threat and how we can avert it.
Talking Points
