AB 2323

Existing law requires various types of notices to be provided in a “newspaper of general circulation,” as that term is defined, in accordance with certain prescribed publication periods and legal requirements. Existing law requires a newspaper of general circulation to meet certain criteria, including publication, a bona fide subscription list of paying subscribers, and printing and publishing at regular intervals in the state, county, or city where publication is to be given. This bill would require any public notice that is legally required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation to be published in the newspaper’s print publication and on the newspaper’s internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet. This bill would prohibit a newspaper from charging a fee or surcharge to access public notices on their internet website or for posting a legally required public notice, as specified. This bill would provide, however, that a newspaper may continue to charge a fee or surcharge for access to other content on their internet website. This bill would also provide that certain errors in the publication of a legal notice on a newspaper’s internet website, as described, would not constitute a defect in the publication of the legal notice.