At the Capitol
Fresh from minting a budget, our elected officials wasted no time introducing hundreds of new bills to keep themselves busy. As of the February 28 deadline, a handful of bills affecting the sign industry were filed, mostly all relating to billboards.
- AB 109, on which we've reported previously, seeks to impose a moratorium on digital billboards through 2012, pending further study of the traffic safety impacts. This bill is being actively opposed by a coalition of various organizations, including CSA, the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), business and merchant groups. The bill includes a provision ostensibly excluding on-premise signs, but it's early so we're keeping a close watch to make sure that provision remains. The "No on 109" coalition has established a Web site, www.messagesmatter.com, through which you can easily (and are urged to) send letters of opposition. The bill passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee, where the author, Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles), is chair. It now goes to the Government Organizations Committee for hearing on April 22.
- AB 567 calls for a financial and performance audit of the State's implementation of the Outdoor Advertising Act (OAA), and further requires Caltrans employees involved with the OAA to file financial disclosure statements.
- SB 336 modifies last year's bill allowing publicly-owned sports arenas to advertise off-site messages to now allow adult beverages to be advertised, if they were previously advertised prior to July 2008.
- SB 690 redefines "lawfully erected" for purposes of the OAA and eliminates the current 5-year statute of limitations period in which a sign is presumed lawful if no government agency has challenged its legality.
- SB 706 changes the OAA to definitively prohibit billboards along landscaped highways.
- SB 189, while not a sign bill, revamps California's mechanic's lien laws. This bill was vetoed by the Governor last year.
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Local Legislation
Los Angeles - Proposed ordinance continues to flummox the business community and sign industry. While it appears the on-site/off-site distinction will remain, as of this writing the ordinance still poses significant restrictions on height and size, bans digital messages and imposes severe penalties. The major problem driving the proposal is the City's lax enforcement and the sheer number of illegal signs (billboards and on-site signs). The Planning Commission has held several hearings and continues to tinker with the proposal. For the latest updates and to learn more, click here to be directed to our dedicated LA Sign Ordinance Web page.
Sacramento - City staff is preparing a revamped ordinance after several workshops.
San Jose - Starting March 25, the city begins hosting several focus group meetings as it gears up to rewrite the sign ordinance. CSA will be actively involved.
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Regulatory Activity
Diesel rules adopted by the Air Resources Board last year got somewhat of a reprieve in the new budget which mysteriously carved out an exemption for heavy construction machinery (including some "180,000 road graders, forklift trucks, airport baggage trucks and even ski resort snow-packing vehicles," reports the San Francisco Chronicle).
The Contractors State License Board, at the urging of CSA, has proposed an expanded definition of the C45 license classification to now expressly clarify that C45's are authorized to perform non-electric work. While that's always been the case, some jurisdictions have excluded C45's from non-electric public works sign projects. CSA is reviewing the proposal and will report shortly. To review the proposed new language, click here. |
For more information
For details or to provide feedback on these or any other government-related issue, please contact:
Jeff Aran, Government Affairs Director
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