Public Notice Law

Public Notices inform citizens of the everyday activities of government. From government spending and developing new policies to requests for proposals and hearings about retail marijuana licenses, it is important for people to be informed of actions taken by public officials that affect citizens’ everyday lives.

Public Notices are essential to a democracy and an informed citizenry. Without Public Notices, citizens cannot adequately make informed decisions.

While the Internet is a great resource for information, Public Notices have been and remain the most effective in newspapers. Newspaper are the watchdogs of their local communities and can most effectively monitor the actions of their respective local governments. This not only allows local residents to be informed, but it also forces local public officials to be held accountable. Additionally, Public Notices in newspapers are permanent records that cannot be altered or deleted, and the printed version provides a permanent archive and third-party verification of authenticity. Today, newspapers are still the most accessible medium, especially in the far-reaching corners of Colorado where many families are still without Internet access.

In Colorado, legislators recognized the importance of maintaining an accountable and transparent government by first requiring the publishing of Public Notices in newspapers followed by uploading them to one centralized website – Public Notice Colorado. Effective Jan. 1, 2015, Colorado law will require that all public notices and legal advertisements published in Colorado newspapers be uploaded to a centralized website maintained by Colorado Press Association. This is to be done at no additional cost to any government entity. This site, PublicNoticeColorado.com, meets the requirements of the new law and will be maintained by the Colorado Press Association, which represents the majority of Colorado newspaper publications.

Public Notice Law – Colorado Revised Statutes 24-70-102 and 24-70-103.

HB-1086