PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 479 PRINTER'S NO. 1571
No. 428 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY WONDERLING, CORMAN, ERICKSON, RAFFERTY, ROBBINS,
FERLO, COSTA AND WAUGH, MARCH 14, 2007
SENATOR PICCOLA, STATE GOVERNMENT, AS AMENDED, NOVEMBER 20, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 45 (Legal Notices) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, adding a definition of "community
3 paper of mass dissemination"; and further providing for legal
4 advertising.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Section 101(a) of Title 45 of the Pennsylvania
8 Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a definition to read:
9 § 101. Definitions.
10 (a) Definitions applicable to printing or newspaper
11 advertising laws.--Subject to additional definitions contained
12 in subsequent provisions of this title which are applicable to
13 specific provisions of this title, the following words and
14 phrases when used in:
15 (1) this title; or
16 (2) any other law relating to printing or newspaper
17 advertising;
18 shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the
1 meanings given to them in this subsection:
2 * * *
3 "Community paper of mass dissemination."
4 (1) A printed paper or publication, bearing a title or
5 name, and conveying reading or pictorial intelligence of
6 passing events, local or general happenings, printing
7 regularly or irregularly editorial comment, announcements,
8 miscellaneous reading matter, commercial advertising,
9 classified advertising, legal advertising and other notices,
10 and which has been issued in numbers of four or more pages at
11 short intervals, either daily, twice or oftener each week, or
12 weekly, continuously during a period of at least six months,
13 or as the successor of such a printed paper or publication
14 issued during an immediate prior period of at least six
15 months, and which has been circulated and distributed from an
16 established place of business to the community at large.
17 (2) For purposes of this definition, continuous
18 publication shall not be deemed interrupted by any
19 involuntary suspension of publication resulting from loss,
20 destruction, failure or unavailability of operating
21 facilities, equipment or personnel from whatever cause, and
22 any community paper of mass distribution so affected shall
23 not be disqualified to publish official and legal advertising
24 in the event that publication is resumed within one week
25 after it again becomes possible.
26 (3) A community paper of mass dissemination must do one
27 of the following:
28 (i) Distribute through the United States mail to
29 entire local zip codes.
30 (ii) Distribute by audited carriers to all known
20070S0428B1571 - 2 -
1 addresses within local community boundaries A POLITICAL <--
2 SUBDIVISION.
3 * * *
4 Section 2. Title 45 is amended by adding a section to read:
5 § 311. Use of community papers of mass dissemination.
6 (a) General rule.--Any government unit may, at its
7 discretion, authorize publication in a community paper of mass
8 dissemination in substitution of publication in a newspaper.
9 (b) Construction.--Nothing in this section alters or affects
10 the obligation to publish a legal notice in a legal newspaper.
11 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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