BILL ANALYSIS
By: Villarreal
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, many Texas cities have provisions restricting or prohibiting the construction of billboards. However, municipal restrictions do not apply in rural and unincorporated areas. CSHB 1248 prohibits construction of new off-premise billboards adjacent to and visible from a certain road within the Bexar County area. CSHB 1248 does not apply to existing billboards and only prohibits construction of new off-premise billboards. Furthermore, the owners of existing billboards will still be allowed to maintain and repair existing off premise billboards that are placed along the proposed roadways.
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. Section 1 amends Section 391.252(a) of the Transportation Code by adding the following road to the list of roads that are currently protected from additional construction of off-premise signs:
1. US Highway 281 between the southern boundary line of Comal County and State Highway 306.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1. CSHB 1248 differs from the original by removing the roads that are controlled by city and municipal ordinances. However, municipal ordinances do not apply in rural and unincorporated areas. Therefore, US Highway 281 between the southern boundary line of Comal County and State Highway 306 is protected from the construction of new off premise billboards.