SECOND REGULAR SESSION
94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE SCHLOTTACH.
Read 1st time January 29, 2008 and copies ordered printed.
D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal section 226.525, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to tourist attraction signs.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 226.525, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 226.525, to read as follows:
226.525. 1. The state highways and transportation commission is directed to erect within the right-of-way of all classes of highways within the state signs and notices pertaining to publicly and privately owned natural wonders [and] , scenic and historical attractions, and tourist attractions as defined in subsection 3 of this section, under the following conditions:
(1) Such signs shall not violate any federal law, rule, or regulation affecting the allocation of federal funds to the state of Missouri or which violate any safety regulation formally promulgated by the state highways and transportation commission.
(2) Such official signs shall be limited in content to the name of the attraction and necessary travel information.
(3) The state highways and transportation commission shall determine those sites and attractions for which directional and other official signs may be erected as permitted by Section 131 of Title 23, United States Code, which it deems of such importance as to justify such signing, using as a guide those publicly or privately owned natural wonders and scenic, historic, educational, cultural, or recreational sites which have been determined to be of general interest. (4) The state highways and transportation commission may require reimbursement for the cost of erection and maintenance of the official directional signs authorized hereunder when sites or attractions are privately owned by other than the state or political subdivisions. The state highways and transportation commission shall prescribe the size, number and locations of such signs based upon its determination of the travelers' need for directional information.
2. The commission shall adopt rules to implement a program for the erection and maintenance of tourist-oriented directional signs within the right-of-way of state highways in the state. The tourist-oriented directional signs shall provide business identification and directional information for natural attractions and activities which, during a normal business season, derive a major portion of the income and visitors for the business or activity from motorists not residing in the immediate area of the business or activity.
Natural attractions and activities eligible for such tourist-oriented directional signs shall include, but not be limited to, caves, museums, wineries, antique business districts and tourist-oriented directional signs indicating the location of any veterans' memorial located at any college in such county provided that such signs are located on a highway known as the "Veterans' Memorial Highway" in any county of the first classification with a population of more than one hundred seventy thousand inhabitants but less than two hundred thousand inhabitants.
3. For purposes of this section, "tourist attraction" means a permanently established attraction or facility which attracts or is used by more than seven hundred fifty thousand visitors annually which appeals to the recreational desires and tastes of the traveling public through the presentation of services or devices designed to entertain or educate visitors.
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