[HISTORY: Adopted by the Rockland County Legislature 1-17-2006 by L.L. No. 1-2006; amended in its entirety 3-5-2020 by L.L. No. 3-2020. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The title of this chapter shall be the "Rockland County Public Notice Modernization Act."
A. 
The Legislature hereby finds and determines that New York State County Law § 214 is ineffective and impractical as to its current requirements for publication solely in newspapers, as the vehicle by which the general public will be informed and advised as to the consideration, adoption and implementation of local laws and other municipal matters. At the time of the initial adoption of the official newspaper notification process/procedure set forth by the State of New York under County Law § 214, there was no radio, television or internet. The purpose of publication in newspapers of local laws, resolutions and other matters of government is to afford the general public, as large a portion of that population as possible, with the full text and all relevant information relevant to each individual legislative enactment of laws or mandated publication of other government activities.
B. 
The Legislature further finds that the availability of the full context of public laws, in newspapers, only printed once a week for two weeks, is not the most-efficient process by which the public will be informed of, retrieve and review local laws and other matters.
C. 
It is the finding of the Legislature that, with the advent of the internet, there is a greater availability and easier access at any time of any day, be it on the one day of the week that the government would advertise a law or on the six other days of the week that the law is not advertised in any newspaper.
D. 
It is further the finding of the Legislature that when research is necessary or a delayed examination is undertaken to review the activities of government or the language of proposed legislation or of adopted legislation is during the entire twenty-four/seven availability of said information on the internet, which is superior in its retrieval access and related uses for such information.
E. 
It is further determined that the cost associated with publishing the abundant, lengthy and detailed legislative actions and government notifications has become a very costly endeavor with a reduced probability of a significant number of the general public receiving, reviewing and accessing the information when they have the time and desire to examine such information and finding that it is more efficient, there is easier access and it is economically prudent for government to publish notification of local laws having been proposed or adopted with a summary of the action and a referral of interested parties to the full content of said laws and documents on the County's internet website.
F. 
It is further noted that, notwithstanding that not every home has access to the internet, it is universally recognized that libraries, schools and a significant number of homes in the County do have access to the internet and further that a member of the public that does not have a computer available to them at home or work can access the internet at libraries, as well as obtaining copies from the County.
G. 
It is finally noted that more and more people are getting their news and information online rather than reading print newspapers. According to the nonprofit news organization ProPublica, print circulation plunged between 2013 and 2015. For example, the Wall Street Journal was down by 400,000; the New York Times was down by 200,000; and the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times were down by 100,000. According to a June 16, 2016, article by the Pew Research Center, weekday circulation in 2015 fell 7%, while Sunday circulation fell 4%, showing their greatest decline since 2010. That trend has continued, according to the Pew Research Center. In a Fact Sheet dated July 9, 2019, giving 2018 statistics, the weekday print circulation of newspapers decreased 12% and Sunday print circulation decreased 13% from the previous year. When it is possible for virtually everyone to get news and legal notices via the internet (either at home or at public libraries), it is a waste of taxpayer money to require all legal notices to be published in two separate newspapers, especially if those newspapers are reaching fewer and fewer people.
As used in this chapter, the County of Rockland adopts the definitions of the New York State Statutes as set forth in the Codified Laws of the State of New York, including, but not limited to, General Construction Law § 60, and further any Attorney General or Comptroller's opinions or case law relating to County Law § 214 and General Construction Law § 60.
In Rockland County, the following law will supersede New York State County Law § 214(2) and shall read as follows:
Section 214(2). Local laws and notices. The Rockland County Legislature shall annually designate at least one newspaper of general circulation published within the County as the official newspaper for the publication of all local laws, notices and other matters as required by law to be published. The Clerk to the Legislature shall cause a true copy of each local law to be posted on the Rockland County Government web page and official social media page(s), and a synopsis of said local laws or the full text of any notices and other matters required by law to be published shall also be published in such official newspaper at least once a week for two successive weeks, the first publication of which shall be had within 10 days after such local law has become effective; provided, however, that any local law which is subject to a permissive referendum shall have a true copy of said local law posted on the Rockland County Government web page, and a synopsis of said local law shall also be published in such official newspaper at least once a week for two successive weeks, the first publication of which shall be had within 10 days after such local law is adopted. Legalizing acts shall be published as provided in § 227. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prevent the designation of additional newspapers for any publication, and such designation shall be deemed an official newspaper for the particular publication.
This chapter shall apply to all official newspaper designations by the County of Rockland and all publications and procedures that are identified in the legislation above.