2006 Minnesota Statutes

CHAPTER 331A. QUALIFIED NEWSPAPERS

331A.01 DEFINITIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Scope. As used in sections 331A.01 to 331A.11, the terms defined have the
meanings given them except as otherwise expressly provided or indicated by the context.
    Subd. 2. Known office of issue. "Known office of issue" means the newspaper's principal
office devoted primarily to business related to the newspaper, whether or not printing or any other
operations of the newspaper are conducted at or from the office. A newspaper may have only
one known office of issue.
    Subd. 3. Political subdivision. "Political subdivision" means a county, municipality, school
district, or any other local political subdivision or local or area district, commission, board, or
authority.
    Subd. 4. Municipality. "Municipality" means a home rule charter or statutory city or town.
    Subd. 5.[Repealed, 2004 c 182 s 33]
    Subd. 6. Proceedings. "Proceedings" means the substance of all official actions taken by
the governing body of a political subdivision at any regular or special meeting, and at minimum
includes the subject matter of a motion, the persons making and seconding a motion, the roll call
vote on a motion, the character of resolutions or ordinances offered, including a brief description
of their subject matter, and whether defeated or adopted.
    Subd. 7. Public notice. "Public notice" means every notice required or authorized by law or
by order of a court to be published by a qualified newspaper, and includes:
(a) every publication of laws, ordinances, resolutions, financial information, and proceedings
intended to give notice in a particular area;
(b) every notice and certificate of election, facsimile ballot, notice of referendum, notice
of public hearing before a governmental body, and notice of meetings of private and public
bodies required by law; and
(c) every summons, order, citation, notice of sale or other notice which is intended to inform
a person that the person may or shall do an act or exercise a right within a designated period or
upon or by a designated date.
(d) this subdivision contains no independent requirement for the publication of any public
notice.
    Subd. 8. Qualified newspaper. "Qualified newspaper" means a newspaper which complies
with all of the provisions of section 331A.02. The following terms, when found in laws referring
to the publication of a public notice, shall be taken to mean a qualified newspaper: "qualified legal
newspaper," "legal newspaper," "official newspaper," "newspaper," and "medium of official
and legal publication."
    Subd. 9. Secondary office. "Secondary office" means an office established by a newspaper
in a community other than that in which its known office of issue is located, in the same
or an adjoining county, open on a regular basis to gather news and sell advertisements and
subscriptions, whether or not printing or any other operations of the newspaper are conducted
at or from the office.
    Subd. 10. Summary. "Summary" means an accurate and intelligible abstract or synopsis of
the essential elements of proceedings, ordinances, resolutions, financial statements, and other
official actions. It shall be written in a clear and coherent manner, and shall, to the extent possible,
avoid the use of technical or legal terms not generally familiar to the public. When a summary is
published, the publication shall clearly indicate that the published material is only a summary
and that the full text is available for public inspection at a designated location or by standard or
electronic mail. A summary published in conformity with this section shall be deemed to fulfill
all legal publication requirements as completely as if the entire matter which was summarized
had been published. No liability shall be asserted against a political subdivision in connection
with the publication of a summary or agenda.
History: 1984 c 543 s 20; 1986 c 444; 2004 c 182 s 3-7

331A.02 REQUIREMENTS FOR A QUALIFIED NEWSPAPER.
    Subdivision 1. Qualification. No newspaper in this state shall be entitled to any
compensation or fee for publishing any public notice unless it is a qualified newspaper. A
newspaper that is not qualified must inform a public body that presents a public notice for
publication that it is not qualified. To be qualified, a newspaper shall:
(a) be printed in the English language in newspaper format and in column and sheet form
equivalent in printed space to at least 1,000 square inches, or 800 square inches if the political
subdivision the newspaper purports to serve has a population of under 1,300 and the newspaper
does not receive a public subsidy;
(b) if a daily, be distributed at least five days each week. If not a daily, the newspaper may be
distributed twice a month with respect to the publishing of government public notices. In any
week in which a legal holiday is included, not more than four issues of a daily paper are necessary;
(c) in at least half of its issues each year, have no more than 75 percent of its printed space
comprised of advertising material and paid public notices. In all of its issues each year, have 25
percent, if published more often than weekly, or 50 percent, if weekly, of its news columns
devoted to news of local interest to the community which it purports to serve. Not more than 25
percent of its total nonadvertising column inches in any issue may wholly duplicate any other
publication unless the duplicated material is from recognized general news services;
(d) be circulated in the political subdivision which it purports to serve, and either have at
least 500 copies regularly delivered to paying subscribers, or 250 copies delivered to paying
subscribers if the political subdivision it purports to serve has a population of under 1,300, or
have at least 500 copies regularly distributed without charge to local residents, or 250 copies
distributed without charge to local residents if the political subdivision it purports to serve has a
population of under 1,300;
(e) have its known office of issue established in either the county in which lies, in whole or in
part, the political subdivision which the newspaper purports to serve, or in an adjoining county;
(f) file a copy of each issue immediately with the State Historical Society;
(g) be made available at single or subscription prices to any person or entity requesting the
newspaper and making the applicable payment, or be distributed without charge to local residents;
(h) have complied with all the foregoing conditions of this subdivision for at least one year
immediately preceding the date of the notice publication;
(i) between September 1 and December 31 of each year publish a sworn United States Post
Office periodicals-class statement of ownership and circulation or a statement of ownership and
circulation verified by a recognized independent circulation auditing agency covering a period of
at least one year ending no earlier than the June 30 preceding the publication deadline. When
publication occurs after December 31 and before July 1, qualification shall be effective from the
date of the filing described in paragraph (j) through December 31 of that year; and
(j) after publication, submit to the secretary of state by December 31 a filing containing the
newspaper's name, address of its known office of issue, telephone number, and a statement that it
has complied with all of the requirements of this section. The filing must be accompanied by a
fee of $25. The secretary of state shall make available for public inspection a list of newspapers
that have filed. Acceptance of a filing does not constitute a guarantee by the state that any other
qualification has been met.
    Subd. 2.[Repealed, 2004 c 182 s 33]
    Subd. 3. Publication; suspension; changes. The following circumstances shall not affect
the qualification of a newspaper, invalidate an otherwise valid publication, or invalidate a
designation as official newspaper.
(a) Suspension of publication for a period of not more than three consecutive months
resulting from the destruction of its known office of issue, equipment, or other facility by the
elements, unforeseen accident, or acts of God or by reason of a labor dispute.
(b) The consolidation of one newspaper with another published in the same county, or a
change in its name or ownership, or a temporary change in its known office of issue.
(c) Change of the day of publication, the frequency of publication, or the change of the
known office of issue from one place to another within the same county. Except as provided in
this subdivision, suspension of publication, or a change of known office of issue from one county
to another, or failure to maintain its known office of issue in the county, shall deprive a newspaper
of its standing as a qualified newspaper until it again becomes qualified pursuant to subdivision 1.
    Subd. 4. Declaratory judgment of legality. A person interested in a newspaper's
qualification under this section may petition the district court in the county in which the newspaper
has its known office of issue for a declaratory judgment to determine whether the newspaper is
qualified. Unless filed by the publisher, the petition and summons shall be served on the publisher
as in other civil actions. Service in other cases shall be made by publication of the petition and
summons once each week for three successive weeks in the newspaper or newspapers the court
may order and upon the persons as the court may direct. Publications made in a newspaper after
a judgment that it is qualified but before the judgment is vacated or set aside shall be valid.
Except as provided in this subdivision, the Uniform Declaratory Judgments Act and the Rules
of Civil Procedure shall apply to the action.
    Subd. 5. Posting notices on Web site. If, in the normal course of its business, a qualified
newspaper maintains a Web site, then as a condition of accepting and publishing public notices,
the newspaper must agree to post all the notices on its Web site at no additional cost. The notice
must remain on the Web site during the notice's full publication period. Failure to post or maintain
a public notice on the newspaper's Web site does not affect the validity of the public notice.
History: 1984 c 543 s 21; 1985 c 174 s 1; 1Sp1985 c 13 s 315; 1987 c 30 s 1; 1987 c 286 s 1;
1988 c 682 s 42; 1990 c 395 s 1; 1991 c 205 s 17; 1997 c 137 s 13; 2001 c 38 s 1; 2004 c 182 s 8-11

331A.03 WHERE NOTICE PUBLISHED.
    Subdivision 1. Generally. Except as provided in subdivision 2, a public notice shall be
published in a qualified newspaper, and except as otherwise provided by law, in one that is likely
to give notice in the affected area or to whom it is directed. When a statute or other law requires
publication in a newspaper located in a designated political subdivision or area and no qualified
newspaper is located there, publication shall be made in a qualified newspaper likely to give
notice unless the particular statute or law expressly provides otherwise. If no qualified newspaper
exists, then publication is not required.
    Subd. 2. Exception; certain cities of the fourth class. A public notice required to be
published by a statutory or home rule charter city of the fourth class located in the metropolitan
area defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2, is not required to be published in a qualified
newspaper if there is no qualified nondaily newspaper of general circulation in the city, provided
the notice is printed in a newsletter or similar printed means of giving notice that is prepared by
the city and either mailed or delivered to each household in the city.
    Subd. 3. Alternative dissemination of bids and requests. (a) In addition to or as an
alternative to the statutory requirements for newspaper publication, a political subdivision may
disseminate solicitations of bids, requests for information, and requests for proposals by a means
authorized in paragraph (b), if the political subdivision simultaneously publishes, either as part of
the minutes of a regular meeting of the governing body or in a separate notice published in the
official newspaper, a description of all solicitations or requests so disseminated, along with the
means by which the dissemination occurred.
(b) A political subdivision may use its Web site or recognized industry trade journals as an
alternative means of dissemination. A dissemination by alternative means must be in substantially
the same format and for the same period of time as a publication required by this chapter.
(c) For the first six months after a political subdivision designates an alternative means
of dissemination, it must continue to publish solicitation of bids, requests for information,
and requests for proposals in the official newspaper in addition to the alternative method. The
publication in the official newspaper must indicate where to find the designated alternative
method. After the expiration of the six-month period, an alternative means of dissemination
satisfies the publication requirements of law for solicitation of bids, requests for information,
and requests for proposals.
History: 1984 c 543 s 22; 1991 c 53 s 1; 2004 c 182 s 12,13

331A.04 DESIGNATION OF A NEWSPAPER FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Priority. The governing body of a political subdivision, when authorized
or required by statute or charter to designate a newspaper for publication of its public notices,
shall designate a qualified newspaper in the following priority.
    Subd. 2. Known office in locality. If there are one or more qualified newspapers, the
known office of issue of which are located within the political subdivision, one of them shall
be designated.
    Subd. 3. Secondary office in locality. When no qualified newspaper has a known office
of issue located in the political subdivision, but one or more qualified newspapers maintain a
secondary office there, one of them shall be designated.
    Subd. 4. General circulation in locality. When no qualified newspaper has its known office
of issue or a secondary office located within the political subdivision, then a qualified newspaper
of general circulation there shall be designated.
    Subd. 5. Other situations. If a political subdivision is without an official newspaper, or if
the publisher refuses to publish a particular public notice, matters required to be published shall
be published in a newspaper designated as provided in subdivision 4. The governing body of a
political subdivision with territory in two or more counties may, if deemed in the public interest,
designate a separate qualified newspaper for each county.
    Subd. 6. Exception to designation priority. (a) Notwithstanding subdivisions 1 to 3, the
governing body of a political subdivision may designate any newspaper for publication of its
official proceedings and public notices, if the following conditions are met:
(1) the newspaper is a qualified medium of official and legal publication;
(2) the publisher of the newspaper furnishes a sworn statement, verified by a recognized
independent circulation auditing agency, covering a period of at least one year ending no earlier
than 60 days before designation of the newspaper, stating that the newspaper's circulation reaches
not fewer than 75 percent of the households within the political subdivision;
(3) the newspaper has provided regular coverage of the proceedings of the governing body of
the political subdivision and will continue to do so; and
(4) the governing body votes unanimously to designate the newspaper.
(b) If the circulation of a newspaper designated under this subdivision falls below 75 percent
of the households within the political subdivision at any time within the term of its designation
as official newspaper, its qualification to publish public notices for the political subdivision
terminates.
    Subd. 7. Joint bidding. A bid submitted jointly by two or more newspapers for the
publication of public notices must not be considered anticompetitive or otherwise unlawful if
the following conditions are met:
(1) all of the qualified newspapers in the political subdivision participate in the joint bid;
(2) the existence of the joint bid arrangement is disclosed to the governing body of the
political subdivision before or at the time of submission of the joint bid; and
(3) the board is free to reject the joint bid and, if it does, individual qualified newspapers do
not refuse to submit separate bids owing to the rejection of the joint bid.
History: 1984 c 543 s 23; 2003 c 59 s 1; 2004 c 182 s 14

331A.05 FORM OF PUBLIC NOTICES.
    Subdivision 1. English language. All public notices shall be printed or otherwise
disseminated in the English language.
    Subd. 2. Time of notice. Unless otherwise specified by a particular statute, or by order of a
court, publication of a public notice shall be as follows:
(a) the notice shall be published once;
(b) if the notice is intended to inform the public about a future event, the last publication
shall occur not more than 14 days and not less than seven days before the event;
(c) if the notice is intended to inform the public about a past action or event, the last
publication shall occur not more than 45 days after occurrence of the action or event.
    Subd. 3. Type face. Except as otherwise directed by a particular statute requiring publication
of a public notice or by order of a court, a public notice shall be printed in a type face no smaller
than six point with a lowercase alphabet of at least 90 points. Larger type faces may be used.
    Subd. 4. Title or caption. Every public notice shall include a bold face title or caption in
a body type no smaller than brevier or eight point referring to the content of the notice. Larger
type faces may be used.
    Subd. 5. Local options. The governing body of a political subdivision may, to better inform
the public, increase the frequency of publication of a public notice beyond the minimum required
by a particular statute. It may use forms and styles for the notice as it deems appropriate, including
the use of display advertisements and graphics. In addition to publication in the newspaper
required to be designated under section 331A.04, it may publish or disseminate the notice in other
newspapers and by means of standard and electronic mail. Regardless of whether a particular
statute specifies "legal notice," "public notice," "notice," or uses similar terms, the governing body
may use whatever form for the published notice that it deems appropriate in order to adequately
inform the public, subject to the requirements of sections 331A.01 to 331A.11. Nothing in the
foregoing provisions of this subdivision shall require the governing body of a political subdivision
to use the options described.
    Subd. 6. Conflict of laws. Nothing in this section shall invalidate or affect any statutory or
charter provision imposing additional or special qualifications for publication of particular notices
or proceedings.
    Subd. 7. Errors in publication. If through no fault of the political subdivision, an error
occurs in the publication of a public notice, the error shall have no effect on the validity of the
event, action, or proceeding to which the public notice relates.
    Subd. 8. Notice regarding published summaries. If a political subdivision elects to publish
a summary of the political subdivision's financial statement or proceedings as authorized by other
law, it must include with the published summary a notice stating that a copy of the full version of
the financial statement or proceedings other than attachments to the minutes is available without
cost at the offices of the political subdivision or by means of standard or electronic mail.
History: 1984 c 543 s 24; 1997 c 56 s 1; 2004 c 182 s 15-19

331A.06 RATES FOR PUBLICATION.
    Subdivision 1. Maximum rate. The maximum rate charged for publication of a public notice
shall not exceed the lowest classified rate paid by commercial users for comparable space in the
newspapers in which the public notice appears, and shall include all cash discounts, multiple
insertion discounts, and similar benefits extended to the newspaper's regular customers.
    Subd. 2. Rate increases. Notwithstanding subdivision 1, no newspaper may increase its rates
for publication of public notices by more than ten percent per year, as compared to the maximum
rate actually charged by the newspaper in the previous year for publication of public notices, and
in any case the new rate shall not exceed the rate described in subdivision 1. Nothing in this
section shall be interpreted to mean that such an increase is required.
    Subd. 3. Rate from competitive bidding. When the governing board of a political
subdivision awards a contract for the publication of public notices based on competitive bidding,
the rate established by the competitive bidding shall be the rate charged for publication of the
public notices.
    Subd. 4. Publication at legal rate. When a statute refers to publication of a public notice at
the legal rate the maximum rate shall be as provided in this section.
    Subd. 5. Multiyear publication contracts. Notwithstanding other law, a political subdivision
may enter into multiyear contracts with a qualified newspaper for publication of the political
subdivision's public notices. No multiyear contract may be for a term longer than three years.
History: 1984 c 543 s 25; 1985 c 174 s 2; 1994 c 465 art 2 s 18; 2004 c 182 s 20,21

331A.07 AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION.
No compensation shall be recoverable for publishing a public notice in any newspaper
unless the bill is accompanied by an affidavit of the publisher of the newspaper or the publisher's
designated agent, having knowledge of the facts, stating that the newspaper has complied with
all the requirements to constitute a qualified newspaper. The affidavit must set forth the dates
of the month and year and the day of the week upon which the public notice was published in
the newspaper. The affidavit must also include the publisher's lowest classified rate paid by
commercial users for comparable space, as determined pursuant to section 331A.06.
History: 1984 c 543 s 26; 1993 c 48 s 7; 2004 c 182 s 22

331A.08 COMPUTATION OF TIME.
    Subdivision 1. Time for publication. The time for publication of public notices shall be
computed to exclude the first day of publication and include the day on which the act or event, of
which notice is given, is to happen or which completes the full period required for publication.
    Subd. 2. Time for act or proceeding. The time within which an act is to be done or
proceeding had or taken, as prescribed by the rules of procedure, shall be computed by excluding
the first day and including the last. If the last day is Sunday or a legal holiday the party shall have
the next secular day in which to do the act or take the proceeding.
    Subd. 3. Publication of proceedings. Notwithstanding other statutory publication
requirements, if the governing body of a political subdivision conducts regular meetings not more
than once every 30 days, the governing body need not publish the meeting minutes in the official
newspaper until ten days after the proceedings have been approved by the governing body.
History: 1984 c 543 s 27; 2004 c 182 s 23

331A.09 PUBLICATION ON SUNDAY OR HOLIDAY.
Any public notice may lawfully be printed in a newspaper published on a Sunday or holiday.
Any notice that, by law or the order of any court, is required to be published for any given number
of weeks may be published on any day in each week of the term, and if published as many weeks
and as many times in each week as required by the law or order, it is a lawful publication.
History: 1984 c 543 s 28; 2004 c 182 s 24

331A.10 CHANGE OF NAME OR DISCONTINUANCE OF NEWSPAPER.
    Subdivision 1. Change of name. When a public notice is required or ordered to be published
in a particular newspaper and the name of the newspaper is changed before the publication is
completed, the publication shall be made or continued in the newspaper under its new name with
the same effect as if the name had not been changed. The proof of the publication, in addition to
other requirements, shall state the change of name and specify the period of publication in the
newspaper under each name.
    Subd. 2. Discontinuance. When a newspaper ceases to be published before the publication
of a public notice is commenced, or when commenced ceases before the publication is completed,
the order for publication, when one is required in the first instance, may be amended by order of
the court or judge, to designate another newspaper, as may be necessary. If no order is required in
the first instance, publication may be made or completed in any other qualified newspaper. Any
time during which the notice is published in the first newspaper shall be calculated as a part of
the time required for the publication, proof of which may be made by affidavit of any person
acquainted with the facts.
History: 1984 c 543 s 29; 2004 c 182 s 25

331A.11 APPLICATION.
    Subdivision 1. Application. Sections 331A.01 to 331A.11 apply to all political subdivisions
of the state.
    Subd. 2. Notices excluded. Sections 331A.01 to 331A.11 do not apply to notices required by
private agreements or local laws to be published in newspapers, unless they refer expressly or by
implication to this chapter or to particular provisions of this chapter.
History: 1984 c 543 s 30; 2004 c 182 s 26,27

331A.12 WEB SITE PUBLICATION OF LOCAL TRANSPORTATION RFP.
    Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) The terms defined in this subdivision and section 331A.01
apply to this section.
(b) "Web site" means a specific, addressable location provided on a server connected to the
Internet and hosting World Wide Web pages and other files that are generally accessible on
the Internet all or most of the day.
    Subd. 2. Designation. At the meeting of the governing body of the local public corporation
at which the governing body must designate its official newspaper for the year, the governing
body may designate in the same manner publication of transportation projects on the local public
corporation's Web site. Publication on the Web site may be used in place of or in addition to
any other required form of publication. Each year after designating publication on the Web site
for transportation projects, the local public corporation must publish in a qualified newspaper
in the jurisdiction and on the Web site, notice that the local public corporation will publish any
advertisements for bids on its Web site.
    Subd. 3. Form, time for publication same. A local public corporation that publishes on its
Web site under this section must post the information in substantially the same format and for the
same period of time as required for publication in an official newspaper or other print publication.
    Subd. 4. Record retention. A local public corporation that publishes notice on its Web site
under this section must ensure that a permanent record of publication is maintained in a form
accessible by the public.
History: 1Sp2003 c 19 art 2 s 56