ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE

COMMITTEE ON PUBLISHED PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICES

Minutes of the Meeting

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

1:00 p.m., Senate Hearing Room 1

Members Present:                                                  Members Absent:

Senator Andy Biggs, CoChair	Senator Frank Antenori
Representative Russ Jones, CoChair	Senator Leah Landrum Taylor
Representative Tom Chabin	Senator Robert Meza
Representative Steve Urie	Senator Steve Smith
Representative Ted Vogt	Representative Chad Campbell

Staff:

Bill Boyd, Senate Research Analyst

Michelle Hindman, House Research Analyst

Stephanie Johnson, House Assistant Research Analyst

CoChairman Biggs called the meeting to order at 1:03 p.m. and attendance was noted.

Senator Biggs gave a brief overview of the purpose of the Committee.

Presentations:

Jennifer Sweeney, Government Affairs Director, Arizona Association of Counties, discussed the government's responsibility to notify the public and the government's fiscal responsibilities.  She recommended posting notices online and in print.  Ms. Sweeney answered questions posed by the Committee.

Lori Lustig, Arizona Corporation Commission, distributed a document entitled "Statutes that address publication of documents" (Attachment A), gave an overview of the current system used by the Arizona Corporation Commission and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Patricia Barfield, Director, Corporations Division, Arizona Corporation Commission, answered questions posed by the Committee.

Dale Wiebusch, Arizona League of Cities and Towns, discussed his organization's position on electronically published legal notices compared to print published legal notices and answered questions posed by the Committee.

John Naughton, Publisher, Payson Roundup, Arizona Newspapers Association, distributed information on public notices in newspapers (Attachment B), a document entitled "Public Notice Newspaper Survey Data" (Attachment C) and a document entitled "Notice by Newspaper" (Attachment D).  He addressed the disadvantages of discontinuing public notices in print format.

Manuel Coppola, Publisher, Nogales International, gave examples of government websites not posting notices as required.  He answered questions posed by the Committee.

Jim Drake, Assistant Secretary of State, explained instances of publishing requirements involving the Secretary of State's Office and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Public Testimony

Representative David Stevens addressed the Committee on his concerns regarding print versus electronic information.

Cindy Schaider, representing herself, discussed concerns of going totally electronic for notices and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Ray Newton, retired professor, discussed study results regarding print public notices and electronic public notices.  He answered questions posed by the Committee.

Senator Biggs noted the individuals that registered their position on the agenda items (Attachment E).

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:51 p.m.

                                                                                    Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                    Shelley Ponce

                                                                                    Committee Secretary

(Audio recordings and attachments are on file in the Secretary of the Senate’s Office/Resource Center, Room 115. Audio archives are available at http://www.azleg.gov)

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COMMITTEE ON PUBLISHED

 PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICES

December 6, 2011

Page 1

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