PRINTER'S NO. 1451
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1026
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY SCAVELLO AND BOSCOLA, DECEMBER 5, 2015
REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 5, 2015
AN ACT
Amending Title 45 (Legal Notices) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions, further
providing for definitions; and, in legal advertising,
providing for use of community papers of mass dissemination.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 101(a) of Title 45 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a definition to read:
§ 101. Definitions.
(a) Definitions applicable to printing or newspaper
advertising laws.--Subject to additional definitions contained
in subsequent provisions of this title which are applicable to
specific provisions of this title, the following words and
phrases when used in:
(1) this title; or
(2) any other law relating to printing or newspaper
advertising;
shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the
meanings given to them in this subsection:
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* * *
" Community paper of mass dissemination. " A printed paper or
publication that:
(1) bears a title or name, and conveys reading or
pictorial intelligence of passing events, local or general
happenings, prints regularly or irregularly editorial
comment, announcements, miscellaneous reading matter,
commercial advertising, classified advertising, legal
advertising and other notices, and has been issued in numbers
of four or more pages at short intervals, either daily, twice
or more often each week, or weekly, continuously during a
period of at least six months, or as the successor of the
printed paper or publication issued during an immediate prior
period of at least six months, and has been circulated and
distributed from an established place of business to the
community at large. For purposes of this paragraph,
continuous publication is not deemed interrupted by an
involuntary suspension of publication resulting from loss,
destruction, failure or unavailability of operating
facilities, equipment or personnel from whatever cause, and a
community paper of mass distribution so affected is not
disqualified from publishing official and legal advertising
in the event the publication is resumed within one week after
it again becomes possible; or
(2) meets the criteria under paragraph (1) and:
(i) is distributed through the United States mail to
entire local zip codes; or
(ii) is distributed by carriers to the majority of
established addresses, or be widely available at
numerous, widely visited public locations within the
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political subdivision effecting the advertising and has
the distribution independently verified by an accredited
auditor of circulations.
* * *
Section 2. Title 45 is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 311. Use of community papers of mass dissemination.
(a) Authority of government.--At its discretion, a
government unit may authorize publication in a community paper
of mass dissemination in substitution of publication in a
newspaper of general circulation.
(b) Construction.--This section shall not alter or affect
the obligation to publish a legal notice in a legal newspaper.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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