HB102 By Representative Pringle RFD State Government Rd 1 03-MAR-15

SYNOPSIS: Current law provides certain requirements for newspapers that publish legal notices.

This bill would add additional requirements for such newspapers.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT

To amend Section 6-8-60 of the Code of Alabama 1975, relating to newspapers qualified to publish legal notices; to further provide for the designation of a newspaper that is authorized to publish legal notices; and to provide further publication requirements.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:Section 1. Section 6-8-60 of the Code of Alabama 1975, is amended to read as follows:

§6-8-60.

"(a) The party in interest or at whose instance the publication of notice is to be given by advertisement in a newspaper may designate the newspaper in which such advertisement shall be made. If the officer charged with the duty of making the advertisement disregards such designation and makes advertisement in some other paper, he or she must pay the cost thereof and shall not be entitled to reimbursement.

"(b) All publications required by any law, mortgage, or other contract to be published in a newspaper must be published in any newspaper printed in the English language which has a general circulation in the county, regardless of where the paper is printed, if the principal editorial office of the newspaper is located within the county, and which newspaper shall have been mailed under the publication class mailing privilege of the United States Postal Service from the post office where it is published for at least 51 weeks a year the main content of newspapers is general interest news, and the newspaper has been publishing for at least two years, is published at least 51 weeks a year, and is not a professional, trade, religious, or fraternal publication. The newspaper shall, without additional charge, also upload legal notice publications to a statewide website established and maintained by an entity having the capacity and ability to receive and upload notices from a majority of newspapers in this state. Any newspaper which also publishes a website in its own name shall also post legal notice publications on an Internet website published by the newspaper without additional charge."

Section 2. This act shall become effective immediately following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.

Legal Notice

Newspapers

Code Amended