04/10/2026
House Passes Bill That Would End Key Revenue Source For Print News — Legal Notices
In My Opinion: Reggie Hales, Publisher - Inquiring News-CT:
Lawmakers use us. But Won't Support Us. For this bill to pass the house so over-whelming •ly, is a disgrace. And won’t save towns any or that much money. Because what they do spend is minimal. Compared to the funds that they waste and mismanage.
Free community newspaper across CT have been a staple in con-tinuous service for Hundreds of years. Inquiring News came out of the first Black newspaper in CT Back in the 70’s. In our case people of color depend on us to bring and break down the news in which readers can relate to. We support many towns with running their news entertainment. Especially when many lawmakers whose issue are not covered by TV news, we cover. When no press show’s up for their work in community, we show up and tell their story.
But when it’s political season, they bombard us with news release and want our coverage. But when it’s time to place ads with us, they are no-where to be found. Our calls go unanswered.
Legal ads help us all get through the slow weeks, and all the public deserves to hear and respond to notices in an equal fashion.
The excuse that many agencies would rather and solely depend on on-line publishing is an injustice to people of color because not everyone would have a fair chance to see notices online. And many papers can’t afford to maintain webmaster service, with need sup-port to afford systems on going and don’t have staff to support web services. Therefore, leaving Black contractors and families with notice to follow through on said matters. So we on behalf of all of CT’s community newspapers ask our State senators to kill the bill (House Bill 5289). If you can’t help us, don’t continue to hurt us. Or maybe we should tell the real street story of our elected of-ficials. And what is really on the public’s mind, about our value and State Leadership.
Here’s is part of CT Mirror’s Story:
The Connecticut House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would end a longstanding practice that has helped fund local newspapers.
House Bill 5289 would eliminate the requirement that towns and cities publish legal notices in a print newspaper. Legal notices would instead need to be posted on the municipality’s website; of-ficials would have the option to publish them in print, as well, if they wish.
The shift would bring a mundane administrative requirement into the internet age — arguably decades late — but would also cut away at a reliable source of revenue for local print publications.
