The proposed bill would amend current statutes regarding the use of county seals, logos, and insignias. Under the new provisions, individuals would need to obtain approval from the county Board of Supervisors (BOS) before using any facsimile or resemblance of the county seal, logo, or insignia, which now includes any visual or textual identifiers that imply affiliation with the county. The bill also allows the BOS to grant certificates of approval for proper purposes and prohibits anyone other than county departments from using these identifiers for commercial purposes. Additionally, the bill introduces a requirement for counties to display their logos or insignias on their websites along with instructions for obtaining approval for their use.

Furthermore, the bill grants county elected officials the authority to approve the use of their respective office logos and insignias, with similar restrictions on commercial use. It also clarifies that the outlined permission requirements do not restrict the use of county identifiers for satire or parody. A significant addition is the exclusive right of the county sheriff to name and dissolve any posse associated with the sheriff's office, enhancing the sheriff's authority in this regard. Overall, the bill modernizes the regulations surrounding county identifiers and strengthens the control of county officials over their use.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 11-251.17, 11-441
House Engrossed Version: 11-251.17, 11-441