A measure that would have banned new digital billboards along California's highways for two years, pending further study by the Federal government, met its demise in the California Assembly's Governmental Organization (GO) Committee yesterday. The bill, AB 109, carried by Assembly Member Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles), had recently been amended by deleting the January 1, 2012 moratorium and replacing it with onerous state-mandated CUP provisions that would have purportedly ceded more local control. In spite of those amendments, a coalition of groups, including CSA, continued opposition.

A contentious debate highlighted the hearing. The debate centered around the lack of need for the bill, traffic safety, the limitation only on commercial speech, harm to businesses and the fact it was a job killer. The California State Outdoor Advertising Association led the battle with assistance from California Sign Association, the California Hotel & Lodging Association, the Motion Picture Association, California Travel Industry Association and a multitude of labor groups, as well as numerous other business organizations.

 

CSA's Government Affairs Director Jeff Aran testified on behalf of CSA. Only three of the nineteen members of the Assembly GO Committee voted to support the legislation. "We would not be surprised to see a variation of this bill reintroduced next session," he said, "but for this year, it is dead."

 

This bill, which proposes to redefine "lawfully erected" for purposes of the Outdoor Advertising Act (OAA) and eliminates the current 5-year statute of limitations period in which a billboard is presumed lawful if no government agency has challenged its legality, passed the Senate Transportation Committee but failed in the Judiciary Committee. At the hearing on April 28, it was clear the bill had no support based on constitutional concerns; so Assembly Member Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) withdrew it from this year's session, making it into a 2-year bill in order to allow time to work out acceptable amendments. 

CSA Executive Director, Brad Walker, and Government Affairs Director, Jeff Aran, met April 28 with key Contractors State License Board (CSLB) staff to review CSA concerns about C45 licensing, review of the definition of C45 to clarify that C45's can fabricate and install all types of signage, contractors working out of class, and enforcement against illegal sign contracting. CSLB leadership shared with us a new program being developed to enhance enforcement efforts.

The City's onerous proposal continues to wend through the Planning and Land Use Management Committee (PLUM), where several challenges were made to the ordinance. At the hearing on April 21, the testimony was overwhelmingly against the proposal; yet PLUM merely directed staff to review just a few of the concerns we identified. The CSA Los Angeles Task Force continues to marshal its efforts, along with our coalition partners, to fight for reasonable sign regulations. The next hearing is May 12. We need your ongoing support. Please continue to send letters of opposition to the city council. See below for a template and proper contact information.