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Politician changes position on estate advertising notices

A local lawmaker said he now opposes a bill regarding the advertising of decedents’ estates in newspapers.

State Rep. Jeff Wheeland, R-Loyalsock Township, had earlier come out in favor of the legislation. At the time, he said, he believed the bill, sponsored by state Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon, added an advertising option.

But Wheeland now said he can’t support legislation that eliminates the requirement for estate advertisements to be placed in newspapers.

Diamond is calling for elimination of advertising in a newspaper of general circulation in favor of the official website for the Register of Will of the county granting letters.

He claims the bill would lead to smaller fees than those imposed by newspapers.

“I withdrew my sponsorship because the information they gave me was not accurate,” Wheeland said. “I want more options for people, not less.”

He said his record confirms he is consistently in favor of making information more available to people.

Jennifer Heverly, an attorney and president of the Lycoming Law Association, also opposed the legislation, stating that the bill “would shift some of the duty and cost of publishing estate notices to the county and, thereby, the taxpayers.”

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