To repeal sections 493.027 and 493.030, RSMo 1994, relating to legal publications in first class counties, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to the same subject.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI,

AS FOLLOWS:

Section A. Sections 493.027 and 493.030, RSMo 1994, are repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof to be known as sections 493.027 and 493.030, to read as follows:

493.027. [1. In any first class county with a charter form of government, the maximum allowable rate shall not exceed ten cents per word for each insertion for all type matter which is set solid in any one size of type as regular reading matter, or two dollars and fifty cents per square inch when such matter requires more than one size of type, the use of emblems, borders, tabulation or other special treatment.

2.] In any first class county with a charter form of government, a board consisting of the judges of the circuit court of such county, or a majority of them, if they deem it in the public interest, may qualify any newspaper of general circulation, and as further qualified in section 493.050, for the publication of public notices and advertisements at rates higher than the [maximum rates herein established] regular local classified advertising rate allowed in section 493.025.

493.030. 1. In any city not within a county, when any law, proclamation, advertisement, nominations to office, proposed constitutional amendments or other questions to be submitted to the people, order or notice shall be published in any newspaper for the state, or for any public officer on account of or in the name of the state, or for any county or for any public officer on account of, or in the name of any county, there shall not be charged by or allowed to any such newspaper for such publications a higher rate than [three cents per word for each insertion for all type matter which is set solid in any one size of type. When any law, proclamation, advertisement, nominations to office, proposed constitutional amendments or other questions to be submitted to the people, order or notice, require, either wholly or partially more than one size of type, or the use of any emblem, or the spacing of lines so as to have a blank space between the lines, or tabular matter, the rate shall be computed by the square inch of space used, which rate shall not exceed the rate of seventy-five cents per square inch or major fraction thereof for each insertion. As used herein the term "word" means any letter, figure or group of letters or figures as set apart by a space] the regular local classified advertising rate allowed in section 493.025.

2. In all counties of the first class the maximum rate established herein shall not exceed [five cents per word or one dollar and twenty-five cents per square inch] the regular local classified advertising rate allowed in section 493.025.

[3. All laws or parts of laws in conflict herewith, except sections 493.070 to 493.090, are hereby repealed.]