Publishers, editors, reporters, advertising staff and even subscribers attended a newspaper advocacy day at the Indiana Statehouse last Wednessday. The goal of the day, a first for Indiana newspapers, was to show the vibrancy of Indiana newspapers, and that newspapers are “alive, thriving and employing Hoosiers while also serving Hoosiers,” said Amelia McClure, executive director of the Hoosier State Press Association, a trade association representing more than 130 newspapers from around the state.
The event was also designed as a venue for newspaper supporters to express concerns with House Bill 1312, which would make publishing government legal notices in newspapers optional. Instead, the notices would be shifted to a state-run website, putting the burden on Hoosiers to find the notices themselves, instead of having it in the newspaper, McClure and newspaper advocates argue.
HB 1312, authored by Rep. Jennifer Meltzer, R-Shelbyville, would provide four options for advertising a public notice for governments in the first phase, which would begin in July if it is passed in its current form. Those options are a newspaper print edition, a newspaper website, a political subdivision website or the state public notice website.
However, in phases starting with counties 50,000 or under in July 2026, the bill would funnel government public notices to the state’s website.
The House of Representatives passed the bill in a 57-36 vote in February. On March 13, the bill came before the Senate Local Government Committee, but was held for a later vote and possible amendments. A vote has not yet been set.
Meltzer said a statewide website would increase transparency, though critics say it could make it harder for people to find their local notices.
Local governments do spend thousands annually on newspaper notices, but the rates are set by state law. These rates are lower than publications generally charge for other advertisements.
For HSPA and its members, the bill is concerning because it would decrease government transparency, McClure said. Saying it would be like a “fox guarding the hen house.”
“If the government puts notices on their own website, where’s the check and balance? There is none,” publisher Tim Timmons said. “At least now, by it being independent newspapers, there’s a check and balance.”
The website would be an additional cost to the state at a time when there are potential budget shortfalls. It would also increase the size of government, McClure said.
The fiscal report compiled for the bill estimates the website would cost between $337,000 to $800,000 to build. One to four new state employees making $104,000 annually also may be required to maintain the website going forward.
HSPA also has a website that aggregates public notices from member newspapers across the state that is free for anyone to access: publicnoticeindiana.com,
Additionally, there are concerns about access for Hoosiers without internet. About 25% of Hoosiers don’t have access to the internet, McClure said, citing a survey for the Indiana Broadband Digital Equity Plan. These Hoosiers would lose access to them if they are not printed in newspapers.