Requirements for newspaper for official publication

1. For the purpose of establishing and giving assured circulation to all notices and reports of proceedings required by statute to be published within the state, if newspapers are required to be used, only a newspaper which meets all of the following requirements shall be designated for official publication purposes: a. Is a newspaper of general circulation that has been published at least once a week for at least fifty weeks per year within the area and regularly mailed through the post office of entry for at least one year. b. Has a list of subscribers who have paid, or promised to pay, at more than a nominal rate, for copies to be received during a stated period. c. Devotes at least twenty-five percent of its total column space in more than one-half of its issues during any twelve-month period to information of a public character other than advertising. d. Is paid for by at least fifty percent of the persons or subscribers to whom it is distributed. e. If the newspaper operates an internet site, the newspaper must do one of the following: 1. Provide free access on the homepage of the internet site to all public notices posted on the internet site. The link providing free access to public notices must be displayed conspicuously. 2. Display a link conspicuously on the homepage of the internet site of the newspaper to the statewide public notice internet site established pursuant to section 618.3A if such an internet site exists. f. Publish the address of the statewide public notice internet site established pursuant to section 618.3A, if such an internet site exists, in each edition of the newspaper in the section of the newspaper regularly designated for the publication of public notices, and on the section of the newspaper’s internet site regularly designated for the publication of public notices, if the newspaper operates an internet site. g. Post all notices and reports of proceedings required by statute to be published within the state by the newspaper to the statewide public notice internet site established pursuant to section 618.3A, if such an internet site exists, at no additional cost. 2. If no newspaper meeting the requirements of subsection 1, paragraphs “a” through “d”, is published in the jurisdiction of a governmental entity, the governmental entity may satisfy public notice requirements through publication in a newspaper meeting the requirements of subsection 1, paragraphs “a” and “c”, and on the statewide public notice internet site established pursuant to section 618.3A, if such an internet site exists.