HLS 16RS-450 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 112
BY REPRESENTATIVE PUGH
OFFICIAL JOURNALS: Provides relative to the official journals of municipalities
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 43:145, relative to official journals; to provide relative to the
3 selection of official journals by municipalities; to provide relative to criteria for
4 newspapers; and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 43:145 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
7 ยง145. Municipalities to select newspaper located within their boundaries; official
8 journal; selection procedures
9 A. Municipal corporations A municipality shall select an official journal
10 published in an office physically located within their its municipal boundaries if a
11 newspaper as defined in R.S. 43:140(3) is two or more publications that meet the
12 requirements of R.S. 43:140(3) are published therein.
13 B. If no qualified newspaper is fewer than two publications that meet the
14 requirements of R.S. 43:140(3) are published within the municipal boundaries, a
15 newspaper published in the parish of the municipal corporation which meets the
16 requirements of a newspaper as defined in R.S. 43:140(3) shall be selected
17 publication that meets the requirements of R.S. 43:140(3) and that is published in the
18 parish in which the municipality is situated shall be selected as the official journal.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 16RS-450 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 112
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 112 Original 2016 Regular Session Pugh
Abstract: Changes the criteria for a newspaper to be selected as a municipal official journal
in certain circumstances.
Present law requires each parish, municipality, and school board, Orleans Parish excepted,
to select a newspaper as its official journal. Defines "newspaper" as a publication that during
each year of the five-year period prior to its selection meets all of the following criteria:
(1)Has been published at regular intervals of not less than weekly.
(2)Originated and was published for the purpose of delivering news of general public
interest and is not devoted to the interests or entertainment of any one particular
group or class.
(3)In more than half of its issues, contained less than 75% advertising.
(4)Maintained a general paid circulation to paying subscribers within the publication
area required.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law requires each municipality to select an official journal that is published in an
office physically located within its municipal boundaries if a newspaper as defined in present
law is published within its boundaries. Additionally provides that if no qualified newspaper
is published within the municipal boundaries, a newspaper published in the parish in which
the municipality is located which meets the requirements of a present law must be selected.
Proposed law instead requires a municipality to select an official journal published in an
office physically located within its municipal boundaries if two or more publications that
meet the present law definition of "newspaper" are published within its boundaries. Provides
that if fewer than two publications that meet the present law definition of "newspaper" are
published within the municipal boundaries, a municipality must select, as its official journal,
a publication that meets the present law definition of "newspaper" and is published in the
parish in which the municipality is located.
(Amends R.S. 43:145)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.