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.