Alabama Attorney General Opinion 1979-0072

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL q .__ 0 0 0 7a. #C1 CHARLES A. GRADDICK ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF ALABAMA LEE L. KALE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM M. BEKURS. SR. EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT 02-.26-11 ADMINI IVE BUILDING 64 NORTH UNION STREET MONTGOMERY,. ALABAMA 3030 AREA (105).E.34-5t50 WALTER S. TURNER CHIEF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL JANIE NOBLES ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Mr. L. Brooks Hines Member, House of Representatives istrict 91 P. 0. Box 345 Brewton, Alabama 36426 County Commissioners - Legislation - Advertising - Local bill may be advertised in more than one newspaper. Dear Representative Hines: Your request of January 30, 1979 has been received and you have asked the following question: "I live in a house district that has three news- papers with little if any overlapping circulation. To serve the intent of the law requiring the ad- vertisement of bills, it seems advisable to me that these bills should be advertised in all three papers in the county. I would like to know whether it is legal for the Escambia County Commission to pay for the legal advertisement of a proposed act in more than one paper." It is the concensus of this office that the provisions of the Constitution of Alabama 1901, Amendment No. 341, together with CHARLES A. GRADDICK Attorney General by- Rando h G. urie Assistant Attorney General Representative L. Brooks Hines Page Two statutory legislation found in Code of Alabama 1975, SS6-8-60, 11-13-6 lead to the conclusion that the publication required for the advertising of proposed legislation is not limited to one newspaper in the county. From the above provisions of law it appears that publication in more than one newspaper in the county is not prohibited. The established requireMent is that it be published in a news-: paper printed in the English language which has a general cir- culation in the county and it has not been determined by legis- lation that that requirement 'be met by publication in only one newspaper. Hence, the county may pay for such publication in more than one newspaper. It is hoped that the above statutory interpretation will be helpful to you in the presentation of local legislation for your county: Sincerely RGL:cd