Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/30/1993 03:00 PM House L&C
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 236 - NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION DEFINED Number 010 BOB GOULD, principal owner of the ALASKA JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, testified that the purpose of HB 236 was to promote competition in the market place for legal advertisements. Most legal advertisements in Alaska appear in metropolitan dailies. In most other jurisdictions the same ads would appear in specialty papers and the readership would mostly be made up of bankers, attorneys and title companies. MR. GOULD pointed out that Alaska statutes simply state that the notices have to appear in a newspaper of general circulation without a definition of what "a paper of general circulation" means. Mr. Gould explained that the title company underwriter was the entity responsible for publishing the default notices in Alaskan papers and they are generally out-of-state firms not familiar with the size and scope of Alaska. MR. GOULD stated that if HB 236 were to pass, these firms would be able to publish in newspapers other than the big three in the state without fear of violating the statutes, as the definition would be specific. Number 270 CHAIRMAN HUDSON read the following amendment: To section 3, add a new sentence to read: "the notice may be given by using a combination of print and broadcasting media in communities with two or more daily newspapers the notice shall be published in the daily newspaper with the lowest advertising rates." Number 289 REP. MACKIE read the following amendment: On page 2, lines 9-10, delete: "have a total paid circulation of at least 2,500 bona fide subscribers" and insert: "has an average paid circulation or distribution of at least 1500 copies of each issue." Discussion ensued regarding this amendment. The amendment was moved and adopted. Number 365 REP. MULDER expressed his concern on line 9, section B, that the paper had to be in existence for at least two years. He was concerned that this would hurt new starts. Number 380 MR. GOULD explained that some arbitrary figure had routinely been used to ensure that the publication had some track record to count on. Mr. Gould further pointed out that the amount of revenue generated by legal notices in the larger newspapers was small compared to their other sources of income. Number 410 JOHN MCKAY, ALASKA DAILY NEWS, testified against HB 236, stating that it basically disqualified papers that currently published legal notices. This bill would eliminate smaller newspapers. MR. MCKAY believed that the bill is a merchandizing tool for the Journal of Commerce. Number 462 CHAIRMAN HUDSON inquired how HB 236 would hurt smaller newspapers. Number 470 MR. MCKAY pointed out that a number of the smaller communities have newspapers with a paid circulation or distribution of less than 2500, or even the 1500 the amendment called for. Number 495 MR. GOULD added that currently four newspapers in Alaska cover the bulk of the state's legal notices. Number 521 CHAIRMAN HUDSON stated that it was not the committee's intention to exclude anyone. REP. MULDER moved to amend the earlier amendment to lower the number from 1500 to 1000. No objections were heard; it was so ordered. Number 533 REP. MACKIE moved for passage of CSHB 236(L&C) with a fiscal note, and unanimous consent. No objections were noted; it was so ordered.
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