S-3499.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6240

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators Honeyford, Haugen and Gardner

Read first time 01/11/2000.  Referred to Committee on State & Local Government.

Amending the definition of "legal newspaper."

    AN ACT Relating to legal newspapers; and amending RCW 65.16.020.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 65.16.020 and 1961 c 279 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

For the purposes of this code, "newspaper" means a printed or Internet newspaper generally circulated via mail, carrier route, or electronically, or a combination of these, serving a city, county, or multicounty area, where the newspaper is produced at the time of application for approval.  The newspaper shall hold a second class mailing permit, except for electronic newspapers, which are sent by digital transmission rather than postal mails.

    ((The qualifications of)) A legal newspaper ((are that such newspaper)) shall have been published or portions uploaded regularly, and archival records updated, at least once a week, in the English language, ((as a newspaper of general circulation, in the city or town where the same is published at the time of application for approval, for at least six months prior to the date of such application;)) for at least six months prior to the date of such application.  The legal newspaper shall be compiled, either in whole or in part, in an office ((maintained at the place of publication;)) in which printing or outsource contracting for printing takes place, or web page creation and/or uploading take place.  The newspaper shall contain news of general interest as contrasted with news of interest primarily to an organization, group, or class((; and shall hold a second class mailing permit:  PROVIDED, That in case of the consolidation of)).  If two or more newspapers consolidate into one operation, and any one of them qualifies as a legal newspaper the day it applies for status as a legal newspaper, such consolidated newspaper shall be considered as qualified ((if either or any of the papers so consolidated would be a qualified newspaper at the date of such legal publication, had not such consolidation taken place:  PROVIDED, That)).  This section is meant to be as inclusive as possible, and shall not disqualify ((as a legal newspaper)) any publication ((which, prior to June 8, 1961, was adjudged a legal newspaper, so long as it continues to meet the requirements under which it qualified)) as a legal newspaper if same continues to meet requirements of this section.  Determination shall be weighted heavily in favor of local elected officials, whose budgets are directly involved, regarding whether a printed or Internet newspaper is qualified and chosen to publish legal advertisements for their jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

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