HBA-NRS H.B. 1697 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1697
By: Ellis, Dan
Transportation
7/19/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Prior to the 77th Legislature, the Transportation Code did not expressly
allow advertising by a sponsor on an outdoor sign erected or maintained by
a nonprofit county agricultural fair, school, or institution of higher
education along a state highway. The Walker County Fair Association erected
a sign with the logo of a local bank that underwrote the cost of the sign.
The Texas Department of Transportation asked that the sign be removed and
informed the bank that it was not in compliance with state law. House Bill
1697 allows an entity that pays for or sponsors a sign for a nonprofit
county agricultural fair, school, or institution of higher education to use
up to 25 percent of the area of the sign for the sponsor's logo or emblem.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1697 amends the Transportation Code to authorize outdoor
advertising that is an outdoor sign to include the logo or emblem of an
entity if:  

_the sign is erected or maintained by a nonprofit county agricultural fair,
a public or private elementary or secondary school, or a public or private
institution of higher education; 

_the sign is erected or maintained in a county with a population of 65,000
or less; 

_the entity sponsors or provides significant funding to the agricultural
fair, school, or institution of higher education; and 

 _the entity's logo or emblem occupies less than 25 percent of the area of
the sign.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

June 14, 2001.