This bill amends provisions related to political signs.
This bill:
- defines terms;
- specifies the form and placement of the disclosure for political advertisements;
- reduces the size dimensions of a political sign that is exempt from disclosing, on the sign, the person who paid for the sign;
- prohibits a person from:
attaching a political sign to a utility pole, light pole, an electric utility box, a traffic control device, or any railroad sign or signal; oraffixing an object to a political sign for the purpose of blocking, concealing, or misrepresenting the message or image on the political sign;
- expands existing criminal penalties for defacing political signs to cover the conduct described above, and specifies exceptions for:a person who removes a political sign that does not contain the disclosure described above;a person who removes a political sign that violates the prohibition on electioneering in or near a polling place;a government employee who removes a political sign in the course of the government employee's duties;a person who removes an object that blocks or conceals a political sign; ora person who removes a political sign that is attached to a utility pole, light pole, an electric utility box, a traffic control device, or any railroad sign or signal;
- requires each county and municipality to designate one or more locations where a person who removes a political sign may deposit the political sign for safekeeping or disposal;
- requires a person who removes a political sign under specified circumstances to deposit the sign at a designated location described above;
- for a county or municipality that receives a political sign, requires the county or municipality to:contact the owner of the political sign; andnotify the owner to take possession of the political sign;
- authorizes a county or municipality to, in certain circumstances:dispose of a political sign; andseek reimbursement from the owner of the political sign for the sign's safekeeping or disposal; and
- makes technical and conforming changes.
Recommended by: Government Operations Interim CommitteeStatutes affected:
Introduced: 20A-11-901, 20A-17-102, 20A-17-103