AN ACT Relating to publication of legal and other official notices; amending RCW 65.16.060 and 65.16.091; and adding new sections to chapter 65.16 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 65.16 RCW to read as follows:

All legal and other official notices required by law that affect any right in real property must be published in a legal newspaper with general circulation to the address of the affected real property.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 65.16 RCW to read as follows:

If there is more than one legal newspaper in which a legal or other official notice may lawfully be published, the party required to publish the legal or other official notice and the party's attorney or legal representative may not have a direct financial interest in the legal newspaper designated for the publication.

Sec. 3.  RCW 65.16.060 and 1941 c 213 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

Any summons, citation, notice of sheriff's sale, or legal advertisement of any description, the publication of which is now or may be hereafter required by law, may be published in any daily or weekly legal newspaper published in the county where the action, suit, or other proceeding is pending, or is to be commenced or had, or in which such notice, summons, citation, or other legal advertisement is required to be given: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That if there be more than one legal newspaper in which any such legal notice, summons, citation, or legal advertisement might lawfully be published, then the plaintiff or moving party in the action, suit, or proceeding shall, except as provided in section 2 of this act, have the exclusive right to designate in which of such qualified newspapers such legal notice, summons, citation, notice of sheriff's sale, or other legal advertisement shall be published.

Sec. 4.  RCW 65.16.091 and 1977 c 34 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

The rate charged by a newspaper for legal notices shall not exceed the ((national))open classified advertising rate extended by the newspaper to all general advertisers and advertising agencies in its published rate card.

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