A number of Oklahoma State Statutes impose publication requirements for Cities and Towns. Municipal processes such as annexations, elections, assessment districts, and the annual budget, have publication requirements.
11 O.S. §1-102 defines the words “publish” and “publication.” as follows:
“Publish” or “Publication” means printing in a newspaper which:
Maintains an office in the municipality and is of general circulation in the municipality. If there is no such newspaper, then any newspaper which is of general circulation in the municipality; and
Meets the requirements of a legal newspaper as provided in Section 106 of Title 25 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
If there is no newspaper meeting the requirements as provided for in this paragraph, the term publish or publication, shall mean posting a copy of the item to be published in ten or more public places in the municipality. When notice is required to be published for a prescribed period of time, publishing the notice one (1) day each week during the prescribed period of publication is sufficient in accordance with Section 103 of Title 25 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
25 O.S. §106 defines a legal newspaper. It provides as follows:
No legal notice, advertisement, or publication of any kind required or provided for by the laws of this state to be published in a newspaper shall have force or effect unless published in a legal newspaper of the county. A legal newspaper of the county is any newspaper which, during a period of one hundred four (104) consecutive weeks immediately prior to the first publication of such notice, advertisement, or publication:
has maintained a paid general subscription circulation in the county; and
has been admitted to the United States mails as paid second-class mail matter; and
has been continuously and uninterruptedly published in the county. If there is no legal newspaper in a county, then all legal notices, advertisements, or publications of any kind required or provided for by the laws of this state shall be published in a legal newspaper in an adjoining county of this state, which newspaper has general circulation in the county or political subdivision in which such notice is required.
City and Town Attorneys are encouraged to coordinate with the City and Town Clerks to ensure compliance with publication requirements. It is also advisable for a city or town to confirm annually with the newspaper being utilized that they meet the statutory criteria.