HCS HB 1612 -- ROADWAY SIGNS

SPONSOR:  Denison (Burlison)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Transportation by a vote of 11 to 0.

This substitute requires that on the date the Highways and
Transportation Commission within the Department of Transportation
approves funding for any phase or portion of construction or
reconstruction of any street or highway, the rules in effect for
outdoor advertising on August 27, 1999, must be reinstated for
that section of highway scheduled for construction and there must
immediately be a moratorium imposed on the issuance of state sign
permits for new sign structures.

Owners of existing signs which meet the requirements for outdoor
advertising in effect on August 27, 1999, and the requirements of
the federal/state agreement and who voluntarily execute a partial
waiver and reset agreement may reset the signs on the same or
adjoining property.  The reset agreement must be contingent upon
obtaining any required local approval to reset the sign
structure.  Any sign which has been reset must still comply with
the August 27, 1999, outdoor advertising regulations after it has
been reset.

Owners of existing signs who elect to reset qualifying signs must
receive compensation representing the actual cost to reset the
existing sign.  Signs which have been reset under these
provisions must be reconstructed of the same type materials and
may not exceed the square footage of the original sign structure.

A sign owner may elect to reset an existing qualifying sign by
executing a partial waiver and reset agreement with the
commission.

Upon the completion of construction on any section of highway,
the moratorium on new permits must be lifted and the rules for
outdoor advertising in effect on the date the construction is
completed must apply to the section of highway.

Local zoning authorities may prohibit the resetting of qualifying
signs which fail to comply with local regulations

All signs must be subject to the biennial inspection fees under
Section 226.550, RSMo.

The Department of Transportation is required to add the words
"Thank You Troops" to the "Welcome to Missouri" signs located on
interstate highways.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on General Revenue Fund in FY 2013, FY
2014, and FY 2015.  Estimated Net Cost on Other State Funds of
$30,000 in FY 2013, $0 in FY 2014, and $0 in FY 2015.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill allows advertisers to
retain signs, saves the state money, and satisfies the Governor's
objections to a bill from last session.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Burlison; Bill May,
Missouri Outdoor Advertising Association; and Department of
Transportation.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that it will allow our
highways to look cluttered.

Testifying against the bill was John Regenbogen, Scenic Missouri.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated March 19, 2012 at 6:55 pm