H.B. 1387 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 1387
By: Hamric
County Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 
Under current law, the commissioners courts of Harris County and its
bordering counties have the authority to regulate the location, height,
size, and anchoring of on-premise signs.  On-premise signs are
freestanding signs that identify or advertise a business, person, or
activity, and are installed and maintained on the same premises as the
business, person, or activity.  Harris County requires sign companies to
obtain a permit from its Public Infrastructure Department before
constructing an onpremise sign. 

 While Harris County has authority under current law to regulate these
signs through a permitting process, the law does not explicitly grant the
county the authority to collect a fee for performing this function.
Harris County issues in excess of 900 permits under Section 394.063,
Transportation Code, per year at an average cost $120 per permit,
resulting in over $100,000.00 in unrecouped cost to the county. 

 House Bill 1387 authorizes the commissioners courts of Harris Counties
and bordering counties to establish a reasonable fee for the issuance of
sign permits under Section 394.063, Transportation Code. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS
Section 1.  Amends Section 394.063, Transportation Code, by adding
Subsection (f) as follows: 
394.063(f):authorizes counties regulating signs under this section to
establish a reasonable fee for the issuance of sign permits. 

Section 2.  Effective Date:  September 1, 2003.

EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2003.