2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
LRB-2659/1
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2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 284
May 17, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives MURSAU, BORN, BEHNKE, CABRERA,
DALLMAN, EDMING, HONG, MYERS, NOVAK, PALMERI and CLANCY, cosponsored by
Senators FELZKOWSKI, QUINN, ROYS, SPREITZER and TAYLOR. Referred to
Committee on Transportation.
1 AN ACT to amend 86.19 (1); and to create 86.19 (1p) of the statutes; relating
2 to: tribal nation welcome signs.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill authorizes a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this
state to erect and maintain within the right-of-way of any highway within the
boundaries of an Indian reservation or other land held in trust for the tribe or band
a tribal nation welcome sign. Under the bill, “tribal nation welcome sign” means an
official sign erected and maintained by a federally recognized American Indian tribe
or band in this state that the tribe determines is necessary to inform motorists of the
territorial boundaries of tribal reservation and trust lands. The bill provides that
welcome signs may not be erected within the right-of-way of an interstate highway
and are not subject to the Wisconsin manual on traffic control devices adopted by the
Department of Transportation.
Under current law generally, no sign may be placed within the limits of any
street or highway except as necessary for the guidance or warning of traffic, the
safeguard of children at play, or to indicate the presence of a neighborhood watch
program. This prohibition does not apply to directional and other official signs or to
municipal welcome signs.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
 2023 - 2024 Legislature -2- LRB-2659/1
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ASSEMBLY BILL 284 SECTION 1
1 SECTION 1. 86.19 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
2 86.19 (1) Except as provided in sub. (1m), (1n), or (1o), or (1p) or s. 84.01 (30)
3 (g), no sign shall be placed within the limits of any street or highway except such as
4 are necessary for the guidance or warning of traffic or as provided by ss. 60.23 (17m)
5 and 66.0429. The authorities charged with the maintenance of streets or highways
6 shall cause the removal therefrom and the disposal of all other signs.
7 SECTION 2. 86.19 (1p) of the statutes is created to read:
8 86.19 (1p) (a) In this subsection, “tribal nation welcome sign” means an official
9 sign erected and maintained by a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band
10 in this state that the tribe or band determines is necessary to inform motorists of the
11 territorial boundaries of the Indian reservation or other land held in trust for the
12 tribe or band.
13 (b) A federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state may erect
14 and maintain within the right-of-way of any highway within the boundaries of an
15 Indian reservation or other land held in trust for the tribe or band a tribal nation
16 welcome sign. No sign under this subsection may be placed within the right-of-way
17 of a highway designated as part of the national system of interstate and defense
18 highways. A sign placed under this subsection is not a traffic control device and is
19 not subject to the provisions of the Wisconsin manual on traffic control devices
20 adopted by the department under s. 84.02 (4) (e).
21 (END)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 86.19(1), 86.19