By Danburg H.B. No. 2698 Line and page numbers may not match official copy. Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E. A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the definition of an off-premise sign and the 1-3 attachment of the nonconforming, off-premise sign status to the 1-4 original nonconforming, off-premise sign. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 216.002, Local Government Code, is 1-7 amended to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 216.002. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Sign" 1-9 means an outdoor structure, sign, display, light device, figure, 1-10 painting, drawing, message, plaque, poster, billboard, or other 1-11 thing that is designed, intended, or used to advertise or inform. 1-12 (2) "On-premise sign" means a freestanding sign 1-13 identifying or advertising a business, person, or activity, and 1-14 installed and maintained on the same premises as the business, 1-15 person, or activity. 1-16 (3) "Off-premise sign" means a sign displaying 1-17 advertising copy that pertains to a business, person, organization, 1-18 activity, event, place, service, or product not principally located 1-19 or primarily manufactured or sold on the premises on which the sign 1-20 is located. 1-21 (4) "Non-conforming sign" means a sign that was 2-1 lawfully installed at its current location but no longer complies 2-2 with the local regulations. The nonconforming status of a sign is 2-3 the property of the owner of the sign; and upon the permanent 2-4 removal of the nonconforming, off-premise sign by the owner for 2-5 reasons other than the requirements in Subsections (b) and (c) of 2-6 Section 216.013 of this chapter, the nonconforming status of the 2-7 sign is terminated. 2-8 SECTION 2. Section 216.013, Local Government Code, is 2-9 amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: 2-10 (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of state law or any 2-11 law or action of a political subdivision of this state, a 2-12 nonconforming, off-premise sign having been permitted to remain in 2-13 place as a nonconforming use, shall not be eligible for replacement 2-14 or reconstruction at its current location except as provided in 2-15 this chapter. The nonconforming use attaches to the original 2-16 off-premise sign and shall not authorize another new, 2-17 nonconforming, off-premise sign at such location. 2-18 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-23 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-24 passage, and it is so enacted.