FL H0007

Authorizes Florida governmental agencies (counties, municipalities, school boards, special districts) to publish legally required public notices and advertisements on publicly accessible websites as an alternative to traditional newspaper publication, effective July 1, 2021

Non-fiscally constrained counties may use website publication if costs are lower than newspaper publication; fiscally constrained counties (rural areas of opportunity or those where one mill raises $5 million or less) must hold a public hearing and determine that website publication is in the public interest, costs less, and residents have sufficient internet access

Requires governmental agencies using website publication to notify residents and property owners at least once annually that they may register to receive notices by first-class mail or email, and to maintain a registry of those requesting such notices

Mandates that website-published notices include the publication date, be searchable, and be accessible via a conspicuous link on the homepage; public bid advertisements on websites must include a method to accept electronic bids

Newspapers publishing legal notices must continue posting them on their own websites and the statewide Florida Public Notices website (www.floridapublicnotices.com) with 90-day minimum posting and 18-month searchable archive at no charge to the public