Arizona Sets a New Standard for Public Notice

On June 19, 2026, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed Senate Bill 1167 into law — marking a meaningful step forward in how government transparency works in the digital age. The legislation establishes a flexible, modern framework for public notices that preserves the accountability newspapers provide while meeting the realities of today's information landscape.

What the Law Does

SB 1167 gives cities, towns, and counties in Arizona the option to satisfy statutory public notice requirements by posting notices on their official government websites — while also ensuring those notices appear on the website of a qualified newspaper. Newspapers will continue to voluntarily publish notices in print to preserve access for residents without reliable internet access.

The law also requires participating jurisdictions to include a prominently visible "Public Notices" link on their homepage, organizing notices by category so residents can find what they need quickly. Local governments must provide notices to newspapers at least one full business day in advance and post them on their own sites by the required notice date.

The law takes effect September 12, 2026.

A Framework Built on Balance

What makes SB 1167 notable isn't just what it allows — it's what it protects. The compromise keeps an independent, trusted third party at the center of the public notice process. Newspapers remain the stewards of this information, not just a formality.

"This agreement strikes the right balance between modernization and maintaining trusted, broad public access," said Lisa Simpson, Senior Vice President of the Arizona Media Association. "By ensuring notices are available on government sites, newspaper websites, and in print, we are strengthening transparency and making it easier for all Arizonans to stay informed about decisions in their communities."

The Arizona Media Association played a central role in shaping this outcome, working alongside state legislators and local government stakeholders to develop compromise language that serves both newspapers and the municipalities they work with. The AMA commends the leadership of Senator Hildy Angius and Representative Walt Blackman in making this legislation possible.

Why This Matters

Public notices have always been about one thing: ensuring that the public has access to information about decisions that affect their lives. Zoning changes, government contracts, foreclosure filings, public meetings — these are the notices that keep communities informed and governments accountable.

The conversation around modernizing public notice isn't new. For more than two decades, press associations across the country have navigated legislative pressure to remove newspapers from the process entirely. What Arizona's new law demonstrates is that modernization and accountability are not opposites. A useful question to ask is: if public notices were being designed from scratch today, what would the process look like? The answer isn't to scatter notices across dozens of disconnected government websites. It's to bring notices into the digital age while keeping them in a trusted, centralized, independently maintained place — and to make them genuinely easy to find.

SB 1167 answers that question thoughtfully. It removes the friction that was creating real problems for municipalities — particularly those in rural areas without a daily newspaper — while keeping the newspaper's role intact as an independent record-keeper and distribution point that reaches beyond a government's own channels.

The Role of Local Relationships

One of the more instructive aspects of how this legislation came together was the importance of direct, local engagement. The publishers and association leaders who shaped this outcome had built relationships with mayors, county supervisors, and city managers — not just in preparation for a legislative fight, but as a natural part of operating in their communities. When the moment came to find common ground, those relationships made the conversation possible.

What Comes Next

Arizona’s new framework is a starting point for thoughtful modernization. The passage of SB 1167 positions the newspaper industry as a collaborative partner in future conversations about how public notice requirements in Arizona can continue to evolve while preserving transparency, accountability, and public access.

At Column, we work with publishers and governments across the country to make public notice workflows simpler, more reliable, and more accessible. Arizona's approach reflects the direction the industry is moving: notices available everywhere, anchored by a trusted source. That's the future we're building toward.

To learn more about how Column supports public notice compliance for publishers and governments, visit column.us.