AB 2323: Protecting the Public’s Right to Know in a Digital Age
Omarosa Manigault Newman is pictured with a printed edition of PACE NEWS, a legally adjudicated newspaper that has served Los Angeles for over 30 years. In support of AB 2323, PACE NEWS continues its mission to preserve the integrity of public notices while expanding access for all communities. SUBSCRIBE with PRIDE and support trusted local journalism.
PACE NEWS joins statewide coalition to support legislation safeguarding legal notices and transparency
By Dr. Gloria Zuurveen
Publisher, PACE NEWS | Inside Inglewood
INGLEWOOD, CA — In a time when information moves faster than ever, a critical question is being asked in Sacramento: Who ensures the public still has the right to know—and where is that record kept? For more than 30 years, PACE NEWS has served as that record. Now, with the introduction of AB 2323 by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, that role is being both protected and modernized—an effort strongly supported by PACE NEWS and a coalition of trusted ethnic media organizations led by California Black Media.
A Law Rooted in Transparency
Public notices are more than printed words in the back pages of a newspaper. They are legal instruments—mandated disclosures that inform residents about government actions, public hearings, property matters, and decisions that directly affect their lives. From foreclosure notices to city ordinances, these publications serve as the official record—ensuring due process and public accountability. As Publisher of PACE NEWS, I have long maintained that public notices are not optional—they are a legal safeguard for the people. They ensure that no action affecting the public happens in silence.
Cliff McClain taking the time to read PACE NEWS coverage of local events and public notices in a legally adjudicated newspaper of general circulation. Photo by Gloria Zuurveen
What AB 2323 Does
AB 2323, currently under review by the Assembly Judiciary Committee chaired by Ash Kalra, takes a balanced approach to modernization:
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Preserves the requirement that public notices be published in adjudicated newspapers of general circulation
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Expands access by allowing notices to also appear on digital platforms
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Protects transparency by ensuring a verified, permanent record remains intact
This is not about replacing print—it is about reinforcing trust while meeting the moment.
Why It Matters for Inglewood
In communities like Inglewood, where local newspapers remain a primary source of verified information, public notices are a direct line between government action and community awareness. PACE NEWS has long served as that bridge—documenting decisions, publishing legal notices, and ensuring residents have access to information that impacts housing, development, education, and civic life. Without this system, critical information risks becoming fragmented, difficult to find, or removed from public scrutiny altogether.
Dr. Gloria Zuurveen, Founder, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of PACE NEWS, stands at the forefront of a historic milestone as the City of Inglewood formally announces its new partnership with the adjudicated newspaper of record. Pictured (l–r) are the City Treasurer, Mayor James T. Butts Jr., Dr. Zuurveen, and City Clerk Aisha L. Thompson. Photo by Malcolm Patton.
A Coalition Steps Forward
PACE NEWS joins a statewide network of community-based publications in supporting AB 2323, recognizing both the urgency and the responsibility of this moment. California Black Media, a leading voice in ethnic media advocacy, has taken a central role in ensuring that legacy newspapers are not sidelined in the digital transition. “This is about protecting a public trust,” Zuurveen said. “If we lose the structure that guarantees access to legal notices, we risk losing transparency itself.”
Regina Brown, Ex. Director, California Black Media, speaking during a hearing held on the campus of UCLA. Photo by Gloria Zuurveen
The Southern Truth
There is a deeper reality at play.
In an era where algorithms decide what is seen and what is not, public notices stand as one of the last remaining systems that cannot be quietly filtered, buried, or manipulated. They are required. They are documented. They are accountable. And that matters. Because long before a decision reaches the public’s attention, it is recorded somewhere—filed, published, and made official. The question is whether that record remains accessible to the people.
AB 2323 answers that question with clarity: yes—but only if we protect the institutions that carry that responsibility.
Ricky Richardson, a contributing writer for PACE NEWS/INSIDE INGLEWOOD holding a print copy of the legal adjudicated newspaper of general circulation. Photo by Kimi Rhochelle Porter
What Comes Next
The Assembly Judiciary Committee is expected to take up AB 2323 in the coming weeks, with growing support from media organizations, community leaders, and advocates for government transparency. For PACE NEWS and Inside Inglewood, the position is clear:
Protect the record. Preserve the access. Expand the reach.
Because in the end, a community that is not informed is a community left out of its own future.
