Maine Municipal and Press Associations Reach Compromise on Public Notices

New law allows municipalities to first post notices on newspaper websites or a statewide public notices site.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The Maine Municipal Association and Maine Press Association have reached a legislative compromise on a bill that would have allowed towns to post public notices on their own websites instead of in newspapers. The amended bill keeps the requirement to publish notices in newspapers, but gives municipalities the option to first post them on a newspaper's website or on a statewide public notices site maintained by the press association.

Why it matters

The compromise preserves government accountability and a significant financial resource for newspapers across Maine. Public notices are an important source of revenue for local newspapers, generating around $400,000 annually for the Maine Trust for Local News. The original bill was supported by some municipalities citing cost concerns, but critics argued it would reduce transparency and increase the risk of cronyism and corruption.

The details

The amended LD 2042 bill leaves in place the requirement for municipalities to publish public notices in printed newspapers, but gives them the option to first post the notices on a newspaper's website or on the Maine Public Notices website maintained by the Maine Press Association. The Maine Public Notices website was established by statute in 2014 and contains all legal notices published in Maine newspapers. The compromise was reached after concerns were raised about the timing of publishing notices, especially in areas where newspapers have reduced publication schedules.

  • The Legislature's state and local government committee unanimously approved the amended version of the bill on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.
  • The bill will return to committee in the coming weeks for technical language review before being referred for votes to the Senate and House.

The players

Maine Municipal Association

An organization representing the interests of municipalities across the state of Maine.

Maine Press Association

The trade association representing newspapers in Maine, which maintains the Maine Public Notices website where all legal notices published in the state are collected.

Mark Stodder

A member of the Maine Press Association who also chairs the Community Advisory Board of the Maine Trust for Local News.

Dan MacLeod

Executive editor of the Bangor Daily News and president of the Maine Press Association.

Rebecca and Peter Irving

Residents of Northfield, Maine who opposed the original bill.

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What they’re saying

“The main problem was timing.”

— Mark Stodder, Member of Maine Press Association (centralmaine.com)

“While transparency and public notice are essential to local government, (the committee) believes the time has come to modernize practices that reflect how residents access information. The newspaper notice requirement places an unnecessary financial burden on local governments at a time when the stress on local budgets is mounting.”

— Rebecca Lambert, Municipal issues specialist, Maine Municipal Association (centralmaine.com)

“Public notices have been protecting towns and taxpayers for hundreds of years. These notices include requests for proposals by towns throughout Maine to solicit bids on crucial work that taxpayers fund — such as repairing roads, or bridges or schools. They've been published through independent media (for literally centuries) to protect the public by limiting opportunities for cronyism and corruption.”

— Dan MacLeod, Executive editor, Bangor Daily News (centralmaine.com)

“We live in a very rural area. Older folks and others often have great difficulty accessing the internet; however everyone generally obtains and reads our local, weekly paper cover to cover — including local public notices. Our town meetings require participation. Notice through the paper ensures everyone has that opportunity.”

— Rebecca and Peter Irving, Residents of Northfield, Maine (centralmaine.com)

What’s next

The bill will return to committee in the coming weeks for technical language review before being referred for votes to the Senate and House.

The takeaway

This compromise preserves the requirement for municipalities to publish public notices in newspapers, while also giving them the option to first post the notices online. This balances the need for government transparency and public access with the financial realities facing both local governments and the newspaper industry.