A legislative committee showed support for a bill making major adjustments to the notice publication requirements.

 

On an 8-5 vote, House Local Government committee members passed House Bill 1050, which changes publication fees and requires notices be posted online, in addition to in print, on a website hosted by SDNA.

 

ASBSD opposes the bill, which makes multiple changes:

• Repeals the 10 percent discount school districts previously received in publishing costs;
• Sets the price per column inch at $3.15 for papers with under 9,000 circulation and $6 per column inch for papers with more than 9,000 circulation;
• Adds an annual index factor for price increase of two percent or CPI, whichever is less;
• Makes column width universal at 1.4 inches wide;
• Any paper with under 9,000 circulation will print at 8-point type and papers with more than 9,000 will print at 7-point type;
• Requires newspapers to publish public notices from their paper on to a website hosted by an organization representing a majority of South Dakota newspapers.

ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany said the Association was “concerned about the rate hikes” included in the bill and noted there will “increases that will happen” citing the repeal of the 10 percent discount that “automatically increases our costs.”

 

Pogany also pointed out the inclusion of the index factor removes the state statute that had previously moderated an increase in publication cost increases as the Bureau of Administration currently consults with both sides before deciding on any change to publication costs.

 

That repeal and the inclusion of the index factor had Pogany asking “why would a private industry then have the opportunity” to receive an annual, statutorily required increase?

 

HB 1050 is currently awaiting a fiscal note from the Legislative Research Council and remains on the House floor.

 

For updates on this bill and others from legislative session, check the ASBSD Blog and Bill Tracker page.