An Act amending Title 45 (Legal Notices) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions, further providing for definitions; in legal advertising, further providing for level of advertising rates, for effect of failure to advertise when required and for no unauthorized advertisements to be published and providing for publication in newspapers of general circulation; and making editorial changes.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1466 PRINTER'S NO. 2880
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1291
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY FREEMAN, KUZMA, MADDEN, GIRAL, HILL-EVANS,
SANCHEZ, HADDOCK, NEILSON, KINKEAD, DAVIDSON, MALAGARI,
BIZZARRO, GILLEN, MADSEN, BOROWSKI, VENKAT, PROBST, CEPEDA-
FREYTIZ, HANBIDGE, WAXMAN, HARKINS, SAMUELSON AND SCOTT,
APRIL 23, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, FEBRUARY 4, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 45 (Legal Notices) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions, further
providing for definitions; in legal advertising, further
providing for level of advertising rates, FOR EFFECT OF
FAILURE TO ADVERTISE WHEN REQUIRED and for no unauthorized
advertisements to be published and providing for publication
in newspapers of general circulation; and making editorial
changes.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The title heading, section 101(a), Chapter 3
heading and sections 303, 307 and 310 of Title 45 of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
TITLE 45
LEGAL NOTICES AND PUBLIC NOTICES
§ 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
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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:
"Advertisement." A [printed] legal notice or public notice,
relating to any matter, authorized by any person, which is
published for a valuable consideration in a publication, and
which may be required by law, rule, order, or decree of court,
or resolution of any corporation, or unincorporated association,
or by action of any government unit.
"Advertiser." Any person who orders and directs a notice or
advertisement to be [printed or] published in a publication.
["Advertising rule." The line between, or which separates,
any two advertisements or notices.
"Agate." A type 5 1/2 type points in depth or height.
"Bourgeois." A type 9 type points in depth or height.
"Brevier." A type 8 type points in depth or height.]
"Carrier." A person engaged for hire in the delivery of
publications.
"Circulation." The number of copies printed, issued, sold,
or subscribed for, by the day, week, month, or year, at a
particular price for each [copy] issue, or for a series of
issues over a definite period by any publication, but the term
does not include [copies] issues exchanged for other
publications or copies or issues circulated gratuitously.
"Classified advertising." Intelligence or notices, published
[and printed in small or inconspicuous type,] as advertising,
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classed with similar notices of advertising, and for which
compensation is intended to be charged.
"Class magazine" or "class newspaper." A [printed] paper or
publication containing class, professional, trade, commercial,
technical, scientific, educational, religious, financial, legal
or other matter and intelligence, intended to be disseminated
exclusively among subscribers or readers concerned or interested
in the subject matters published.
["Column." A single unit or upright section, of the total
height of the type printed page, as separated from the remainder
of the page by a line, rule, or space, and not less than ten ems
pica in width.
"Column rule." The printed line between, or which separates,
the printed columns of any type page.]
"Continuous publication." A publication that is accomplished
on a regular basis according to the respective requirements
established for a digital newspaper, free newspaper, online-only
newspaper and printed newspaper. The term shall not be deemed
interrupted by any involuntary suspension of publication
resulting from the loss, destruction, failure or unavailability
of operating facilities, software, hardware, equipment or
personnel from whatever cause, and any newspaper so affected
shall not be disqualified to publish legal notices and public
notices in the event that publication is resumed within one week
after it again becomes possible.
"Court." A court or tribunal of record, established for the
public administration of justice under the provisions of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania or any statute.
"Daily newspaper." A newspaper regularly published at least
[five] two days in the week[, either including or excluding
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Sundays and legal holidays].
"Decree." A decision, judgment, order or sentence of any
court.
"Digital newspaper." A newspaper delivered in an electronic
form on an Internet website that:
(1) is formatted similarly to a printed newspaper and
produced in an archivable format;
(2) maintains an active news gathering in the
publication area;
(3) is a continuous publication, has been actively
publishing for at least six months and is updated at least
weekly;
(4) has as its primary purpose regularly reporting on
matters of importance to the public relating to local and
community issues in the publication area;
(5) is easily accessible to the public through common
Internet search engines or other Internet search means;
(6) contains conspicuous links or a heading on its
landing page that direct members of the public to legal
notices and public notices; and
(7) one of the following:
(i) distributes, or has ownership interest in,
another entity that distributes, newspapers printed in
this Commonwealth;
(ii) is capable of circulating printed newspapers
throughout the publication area; or
(iii) is the digital descendant of a printed
newspaper product.
["Display advertising." Intelligence made conspicuous, and
designated by either reading matter, printed from various sizes,
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kinds and styles of types or illustrations, and printed or
published for a compensation, demanded or intended to be
received from those interested in, affected or served by, the
subject matter published.
"Em." A square of a type, or a space equal to the square of
the depth or height of a particular type, as measured by the
number of points in height of the type.]
"Free newspaper." A printed newspaper:
(1) offered gratuitously and principally devoted to the
dissemination of ORIGINAL local or general news and other
editorial content, which shall not DOES NOT constitute less
than 25% 40% of overall content , does not primarily serve as
a platform for promoting the interests of a special interest
group, individual or cause and follows ethics and standards
of print journalism; and AS AN ANNUAL AVERAGE;
(2) THAT IS REGISTERED AS A BUSINESS WITH THE DEPARTMENT
OF STATE OF THE COMMONWEALTH;
(3) THAT EMPLOYS A LOCAL NEWS STAFF;
(4) THAT HAS A VERIFIABLE LOCAL AUDIENCE;
(5) THAT DOES NOT PRIMARILY SERVE AS A PLATFORM FOR
COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING OR PROMOTE THE INTERESTS OF A SPECIAL
INTEREST GROUP, INDIVIDUAL OR CAUSE;
(6) THAT FOLLOWS ETHICS AND STANDARDS OF PRINTED
JOURNALISM; AND
(2) (7) THAT is a continuous publication and has been
published at not less than weekly intervals in the same
community and has been published for at least two years.
"Issue." A single regular publication of a journal,
magazine, daily newspaper, digital newspaper, free newspaper,
online-only newspaper, newsletter, printed newspaper or trade
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publication.
"Journal." A newspaper, class newspaper, periodical, or
magazine.
"Law." A statute, a home rule charter, or an enactment
entitled an ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation of any
government unit.
"Legal advertisement." A notice, advertisement, publication,
statement, or abstract of a notice, advertisement, publication,
or statement, required by resolution of a corporation,
unincorporated association, or government unit, or ordinance of
a political subdivision, or by law, or by rule, order, or decree
of court, to be published, for a valuable consideration, in
either a newspaper of general circulation, a legal newspaper or
an official newspaper.
"Legal newspaper." A newspaper which is a "legal
periodical," "official legal newspaper," or "official legal
periodical," publishing legal intelligence, as designated by
general rule or rule of court for the publication of legal
advertisements and notices required by law, rule, order, or
decree of court, to be published in a legal newspaper, legal
periodical, official legal newspaper, or official legal
periodical, so designated by general rule or rule of court.
"Legal notice." When required to be printed or published,
either a legal advertisement, a legal notice, an official
advertisement, or an official legal notice.
["Liners." Advertisements, published as reading notices,
intelligence, or announcements for which compensation is
intended to be charged to those interested in the publication
thereof.
"Long primer." A type 10 type points in depth or height.]
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"Magazine." Partakes of the nature of a periodical.
["Minion." A type 7 type points in depth or height.]
"News." Narrative, or recent intelligence, disseminating
current information as to local, general, or world-wide
happenings, concerning any person or persons, matters of private
or public interest, or concerning any matters affecting the
public welfare.
["Newspaper."
(1) A printed paper or publication, bearing a title or
name, and conveying reading or pictorial intelligence of
passing events, local or general happenings, printing
regularly or irregularly editorial comment, announcements,
miscellaneous reading matter, commercial advertising,
classified advertising, legal advertising, and other notices,
and which has been issued in numbers of four or more pages at
short intervals, either daily, twice or oftener each week, or
weekly, continuously during a period of at least six months,
or as the successor of such a printed paper or publication
issued during an immediate prior period of at least six
months, and which has been circulated and distributed from an
established place of business to subscribers or readers
without regard to number, for a definite price or
consideration, either entered or entitled to be entered under
the Postal Rules and Regulations as second class matter in
the United States mails, and subscribed for by readers at a
fixed price for each copy, or at a price fixed per annum. A
newspaper may be either a daily newspaper, weekly newspaper,
newspaper of general circulation, official newspaper, or a
legal newspaper, as defined in this section. Continuous
publication within the meaning of this section shall not be
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deemed interrupted by any involuntary suspension of
publication resulting from loss, destruction, failure or
unavailability of operating facilities, equipment or
personnel from whatever cause, and any newspaper so affected
shall not be disqualified to publish official and legal
advertising in the event that publication is resumed within
one week after it again becomes possible.
(2) A printed paper or publication, regardless of size,
contents, or time of issue, or number of copies issued,
distributed and circulated gratuitously, is not a newspaper.
(3) A printed paper or publication, not entitled to be
entered, or which has been denied entry, as second class
matter in the United States mails under the Postal Rules and
Regulations of the United States is not a newspaper.]
"Newspaper of general circulation." As follows:
(1) A printed newspaper that:
(i) is issued daily, or not less than once a week,
intended for general distribution and circulation, and
sold at fixed prices per [copy] issue per week, per
month, or per annum, to subscribers and readers without
regard to business, trade, profession or class[.]; and
(ii) has a website and posts all legal notices and
public notices published in print on the website and on
the Statewide public notice website both at no additional
cost.
(2) If no printed newspaper that satisfies paragraph (1)
exists, a digital newspaper that posts all legal notices and
public notices on its website and on the Statewide public
notice website at no additional cost.
(3) If no newspaper that satisfies either paragraph (1)
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or (2) exists, and until such time as one does exist, a free
newspaper or an online-only newspaper. A free newspaper must
have a website and post all legal notices and public notices
thereon and on the Statewide public notice website at no
additional cost. An online-only newspaper shall post all
legal notices and public notices on the Statewide public
notice website at no additional cost. EXISTS:
(I) A DIGITAL NEWSPAPER THAT POSTS ALL LEGAL NOTICES
AND PUBLIC NOTICES ON THE STATEWIDE PUBLIC NOTICE WEBSITE
AT NO ADDITIONAL COST;
(II) AN ONLINE-ONLY NEWSPAPER THAT POSTS ALL LEGAL
NOTICES AND PUBLIC NOTICES ON THE STATEWIDE PUBLIC NOTICE
WEBSITE AT NO ADDITIONAL COST; OR
(III) A FREE NEWSPAPER THAT:
(A) POSTS ALL LEGAL NOTICES AND PUBLIC NOTICES
ON ITS WEBSITE AT NO ADDITIONAL COST; AND
(B) POSTS ALL LEGAL NOTICES AND PUBLIC NOTICES
ON THE STATEWIDE PUBLIC NOTICE WEBSITE AT NO
ADDITIONAL COST.
"Newspaper website." An Internet website maintained and
administered by a printed newspaper, digital newspaper, online-
only newspaper or free newspaper on which the printed newspaper,
digital newspaper, online-only newspaper or free newspaper posts
news stories and items of public interest.
["Nonpareil." A type 6 type points in depth or height.]
"Notice." A formal printed announcement, transmitting
intelligence, information, or warning, to a particular person,
or generally to all persons who may read such notice.
"Official advertisement." A notice, advertisement,
publication, or statement, or an abstract of a notice,
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advertisement, publication, or statement, required to be made by
law, rule, order, or decree of court, by any person, or in the
conduct of the business of a private or public corporation, or
on the order of any government unit, or in the performance of
any official duty imposed by law, rule, order, or decree of
court, resolution or ordinance.
"Official advertising and legal advertising." Any
advertisement, notice, statement, report, resolution, ordinance,
or abstract of the same, required by law, rule, order or decree
of court, by resolution of any board of directors, shareholders
or officers of any corporation or unincorporated association, or
any government unit to be printed and published for a valuable
consideration in a newspaper.
"Official newspaper." A newspaper designated by a government
unit for the publication of notices and statements required by
rule, order, resolution, or ordinance of such unit.
"Online-only newspaper." A newspaper that:
(1) is available to the general public exclusively
online or digitally;
(2) is a continuous publication and:
(i) has been actively and continuously publishing
for at least one year;
(ii) contains content that must be updated daily;
and
(iii) is registered as a business with the
Department of State of the Commonwealth;
(3) is principally devoted to the dissemination of
ORIGINAL local or general news and other editorial content
that must constitute CONSTITUTES not less than 25% of overall
content ON AN ANNUAL AVERAGE ;
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(4) follows the ethics and standards of print
journalism;
(5) has its own registered domain name;
(6) does not serve as a platform promoting the interests
or opinions of a special interest group, individual or cause;
(7) USES WRITTEN CONTENT AS ITS PRIMARY REPORTING METHOD
AND MEANS OF COMMUNICATION;
(8) EMPLOYS A LOCAL NEWS STAFF;
(9) HAS A VERIFIABLE LOCAL AUDIENCE;
(7) (10) is easily accessible to the public through
common Internet search engines or other Internet search
means;
(8) (11) contains conspicuous links or a heading on its
landing page that direct members of the public to legal
notices and public notices; and
(9) (12) is produced in an archivable format and content
must be archived on a server or website.
"Ordinance." A municipal rule or regulation, adopted in the
manner required by statute or home rule charter, by the lawfully
constituted officers of any political subdivision or municipal
or other local authority.
"Periodical." A printed paper or publication, issued in
pamphlet or book form, regardless of page size or number of
pages, at stated or regular intervals of more than one day
between each issue, containing either general, class, trade,
technical, scientific, serial articles, or other reading matter,
advertising, et cetera, and entitled to be entered as second
class matter in the United States mails under the Postal Rules
and Regulations of the United States.
["Pica." A type 12 type points in depth or height.
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"Point." A unit of measurement for determining the height of
a type, letter, figure, or other character, or the width of a
rule, as heretofore generally known and fixed by general
agreement of certain type founders and manufacturers, at 0.0138
inch in length.]
"Printed newspaper." As follows:
(1) A printed paper or publication that:
(i) bears a title or name and conveys reading or
pictorial intelligence of passing events, local or
general happenings, including regular or sporadic
editorial comment, announcements, miscellaneous reading
matter, commercial advertising, classified advertising,
legal advertising and other notices;
(ii) is a continuous publication and:
(A) is issued in numbers of four or more pages
at short intervals, either daily, twice or more often
each week or weekly; and
(B) is published continuously during a period of
at least six months, or as the successor of such a
printed paper or publication issued during an
immediately prior period of at least six months.
(iii) is circulated and distributed from an
established place of business to subscribers or readers
without regard to number, for a definite price or
consideration, either entered or entitled to be entered
under the Postal Rules and Regulations as second class
matter in the United States mail, and subscribed for by
readers at a fixed price for each issue, or at a price
fixed per annum; and
(iv) may be a daily newspaper, weekly newspaper,
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newspaper of general circulation, official newspaper or a
legal newspaper.
(2) The term does not include:
(i) a printed paper or publication, regardless of
size, contents or time of issue, or number of copies
issued, distributed and circulated gratuitously; and
(ii) a printed paper or publication, not entitled to
be entered, or which has been denied entry, as second
class matter in the United States mail under the Postal
Rules and Regulations of the United States.
"Proof of publication." A printed or written statement,
declaring the name of a newspaper of general circulation, a
legal newspaper or an official newspaper, as defined in this
section, its place of business, when the same was established,
the date or dates, and issue or issues, in which a [printed]
legal notice, public notice or publication appeared[, and to
which is securely attached,] exactly as [printed or] published,
a copy of the official advertisement, official notice, legal
notice, public notice or legal advertisement, verified with a
statement of the owner, publisher, or the designated agent of
the owner or publisher, of such publication in which the
official or legal advertisement or notice was published, duly
sworn to before a person authorized to administer oaths, and
also declaring that the affiant is not interested in the subject
matter of the notice or advertising, and that all of the
allegations of the statement as to the time, place, and
character of publication are true.
"Publication."
[(1)] The act of printing or posting online a legal
notice or public notice[, advertisement, or proclamation,]
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for the purpose of disseminating information to individuals
or the [people] public at large.
[(2) A journal, magazine, newspaper, class newspaper or
periodical.]
"Public notice." When required to be printed or published,
an official advertisement.
"Rate." The price or sum fixed for [printing and] publishing
[either official, legal, or commercial advertising, and may be
either a price or sum fixed for a single reading line in a
single column, or for a space of the depth of one inch in a
single column, or it may mean the particular stated sums or
prices fixed for printing and publishing official or legal
advertising, where the style and form does not vary except for
the names and addresses of the interested parties, such as
notices of applications for charters of incorporation,
shareholders' meetings, executors', administrators' or auditors'
notices, register of wills' audit notices, obituary or death
notices, et cetera.] legal notices or public notices.
["Reading matter." News or other printed matter, intended to
be read, as distinguished from intelligence notices,
announcements, display advertising, or advertising published for
a compensation.]
"Resolution." A formal agreement or consent to do or not to
do a certain thing, which has been recorded upon the minutes or
records of a government unit, or by either the shareholders,
board of directors or other body of a corporation, or by the
members, directors, managers, or trustees of an unincorporated
association or society of individuals.
"Rule." Any formal order or direction made by a tribunal or
other government unit.
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["Sample copy." A copy of a publication distributed without
charge or expense to prospective subscribers or advertisers, in
numbers limited by the United States Postal Rules and
Regulations governing second class mail matter.
"Small pica." A type 11 type points in depth or height.
"Space." The length and breadth of a printed type page, or
any subdivision thereof, intended to be used for either news or
advertising matter of any kind.]
"Statewide association representing print and digital news
media organizations." A Pennsylvania nonprofit organization:
(1) approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a
section 501(c)(6) trade association representing the
interests of print and digital news media organizations in
this Commonwealth through advocacy, education and information
sharing;
(2) headquartered in Harrisburg;
(3) which includes as members a majority of newspapers
of general circulation serving this Commonwealth; and
(4) that has been in existence continuously for at least
50 years.
"Statewide public notice website." A website:
(1) maintained and administered by a Statewide
association representing print and digital news media
organizations;
(2) on which all newspapers of general circulation in
this Commonwealth post their legal notices and public
notices;
(3) that is available for viewing and searching by the
public, free of charge; and
(4) that accepts legal notices and public notice
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postings from any newspaper of general circulation in this
Commonwealth.
"Subscriber." A person who buys or orders verbally or by
written or online subscription[, or accepts upon delivery from
the United States mails or a carrier, issues or copies of any
publication].
["Type." A piece of metal or wood from which either a
letter, figure, or other character is impressed with ink upon
paper, or an image of such a character.]
"Weekly newspaper." A newspaper issued at least once a week.
* * *
CHAPTER 3
LEGAL NOTICE AND PUBLIC NOTICE ADVERTISING
§ 303. Level of advertising rates.
(a) General rule.--All official and legal advertising shall
be charged for at an established or declared rate [or price per
single column, line of reading matter measured in depth by the
point system, or at a rate or price per inch single column].
When such official and legal advertising is not classified and
is not published according to prescribed or recognized forms,
and no rate has been established or declared, such rate for
official and legal advertising shall not be in excess of the
rates usually charged or received by the publication publishing
such official and legal advertising for commercial, general, or
other advertising.
[(b) Exception.--Where official and legal advertising is
usually and ordinarily published according to recognized or
prescribed forms, or particular matters are itemized and
classified under general headings, subsection (a) shall not
prohibit the fixing of definite prices or sums for publishing
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official and legal advertising, regardless of the number of
single column lines or space required for each item, notice, or
advertisement published in any separate matter or proceeding,
and regardless of rates established, fixed, charged or received
for commercial, general or other advertising. The purpose of
this subsection is to enable newspapers to take into
consideration, as elements, when fixing advertising rates or
charges, location of the advertisement in the newspaper, the
purpose to be served, the character of the advertising, and that
a newspaper is entitled to compensation for its readiness at all
times to render an advertising service.]
§ 307. EFFECT OF FAILURE TO ADVERTISE WHEN REQUIRED.
(A) GENERAL RULE.--NO LEGAL PROCEEDING, MATTER, OR CASE IN
WHICH NOTICE IS REQUIRED TO BE GIVEN BY PUBLIC NOTICE, OFFICIAL
OR LEGAL ADVERTISING, SHALL BE BINDING AND EFFECTIVE UPON ANY
INTERESTED PERSON UNLESS SUCH PUBLIC NOTICE, OFFICIAL AND LEGAL
ADVERTISING IS [PRINTED AND] PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPERS OF
GENERAL CIRCULATION, OFFICIAL NEWSPAPERS, AND LEGAL NEWSPAPERS
DEFINED BY THIS TITLE, IN THE MANNER AND AS REQUIRED BY STATUTE,
AND BY ANY RULE, ORDER, OR DECREE OF COURT, RESOLUTION OF A
CORPORATION, OR UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATION, OR ORDINANCE, RULE,
OR REGULATION OF ANY GOVERNMENT UNIT, IN THE PROPER NEWSPAPERS
OF GENERAL CIRCULATION, OFFICIAL NEWSPAPERS, AND LEGAL
NEWSPAPERS, DEFINED BY THIS TITLE, AND A PROOF OF PUBLICATION IS
FILED OF RECORD IN SUCH MATTER OR PROCEEDING.
(B) PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLISHED IN PRINTED NEWSPAPERS.--
(1) PUBLIC NOTICE THAT IS PUBLISHED BY A PRINTED
NEWSPAPER THAT QUALIFIES AS A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL
CIRCULATION ON ITS INTERNET WEBSITE AND ON THE STATEWIDE
PUBLIC NOTICE WEBSITE SHALL BE BINDING AND EFFECTIVE IF
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NOTICE IS REQUIRED BY LAW WITHIN A TIME FRAME THAT DOES NOT
PERMIT A PRINTED PUBLIC NOTICE BY THE SAME PRINTED NEWSPAPER.
(2) A PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS
SECTION SHALL BE PUBLISHED IN THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED
PRINT EDITION FOLLOWING PUBLICATION ON THE PRINTED
NEWSPAPER'S INTERNET WEBSITE AND THE STATEWIDE PUBLIC NOTICE
WEBSITE.
§ 310. No unauthorized advertisements to be published.
No advertisement shall be published by any court or other
government unit, which is not duly authorized by law[, nor in
more papers than so authorized].
Section 2. Title 45 is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 311. Publication in newspapers of general circulation.
(a) Limitation.--Legal notices and public notices may only
be published in newspapers of general circulation.
(A) LIMITATION.--
(1) LEGAL NOTICES AND PUBLIC NOTICES MAY ONLY BE
PUBLISHED IN NEWSPAPERS OF GENERAL CIRCULATION.
(2) PARAGRAPH (1) DOES NOT APPLY TO A LEGAL NOTICE OR
PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIRED BY OTHER LAW TO BE PUBLISHED IN A
LEGAL NEWSPAPER.
(b) Website operator duties.--When publishing a legal notice
or public notice on a newspaper's website, on the Statewide
public notice website or in a digital newspaper or in an online-
only newspaper, the operator of the website shall:
(1) ensure access to the website at all times, other
than during website maintenance or due to causes beyond the
operator's control;
(2) make the full text of the legal notice or public
notice available in a searchable format for the period of
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time that the legal notice or public notice is required to be
posted;
(3) provide access to view legal notices or public
notices on the website LANDING PAGE CLEARLY AND CONSPICUOUSLY
and perform searches for legal notices or public notices on
the website, for no fee, provided that the operator may
charge a fee for enhanced search and customized content
delivery features;
(4) maintain an archive of legal notices or public
notices that are no longer displayed on the website for at
least one year from the date of publication; and
(5) charge no additional fee for a publication on the
Statewide public notice website and a printed newspaper and
free newspaper may not charge an additional fee for
publication of printed legal notices or public notices on
their websites.
(C) DUTY OF GOVERNMENT UNITS.--
(1) THE FOLLOWING GOVERNMENT UNITS SHALL ADOPT A
RESOLUTION DECLARING WHICH NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION
SHALL BE USED TO CARRY THE GOVERNMENT UNIT'S LEGAL NOTICES
AND PUBLIC NOTICES:
(I) POLITICAL SUBDIVISION;
(II) INTERMEDIATE UNIT;
(III) CHARTER SCHOOL;
(IV) CYBER CHARTER SCHOOL;
(V) PUBLIC TRADE SCHOOL;
(VI) AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL;
(VII) LOCAL AGENCY, AUTHORITY, COUNCIL, BOARD AND
COMMISSION;
(VIII) INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGENCY, AUTHORITY, COUNCIL,
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BOARD AND COMMISSION;
(IX) REGIONAL AGENCY, AUTHORITY, COUNCIL, BOARD AND
COMMISSION;
(X) MUNICIPAL AGENCY, AUTHORITY, COUNCIL, BOARD AND
COMMISSION; AND
(XI) SIMILAR GOVERNMENT ENTITY.
(2) THE RESOLUTION UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) SHALL BE ADOPTED
AT A PUBLIC MEETING THAT ADHERES TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF 65
PA.C.S. CH. 7 (RELATING TO OPEN MEETINGS).
SECTION 3. TITLE 45 IS AMENDED BY ADDING A SECTION TO READ:
§ 312. CONSTRUCTION.
NOTHING IN THIS CHAPTER SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO SUPERSEDE,
ALTER OR ELIMINATE ANY REQUIREMENT TO PUBLISH A LEGAL OR PUBLIC
NOTICE IN A LEGAL NEWSPAPER AS REQUIRED BY ANY OTHER LAW, RULE,
ORDER OR DECREE OF COURT.
Section 3 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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