17-2-2.5. Ownership and circulation statements.

In order to maintain legal newspaper status, the newspaper must submit to the secretary of state before January first of each year a sworn statement of ownership and total print and online circulation for the previous calendar year, on forms prescribed by the secretary of state.

Between September first and December thirty-first of each year, a legal newspaper must publish either:

(1)    A United States Postal Service periodicals-class statement of ownership and circulation; or

(2)    The most recent sworn statement by a recognized independent circulation auditing agency verifying the total print and online circulation.

For the purposes of subdivision (2), a newspaper designated as an official legal newspaper by a public agency for the purpose of publication of legal and official notices must complete the independent audit annually. For a newspaper that has not been designated as an official legal newspaper by any public agency, an independent audit shall have been completed within two years prior to being designated as an official legal newspaper by any public agency.

Source: SL 1985, ch 165, § 6; SL 2024, ch 69, § 4.