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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to erecting certain signs on certain rights-of-way; |
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providing penalties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 392.032(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A person may not place, allow the placement of, or |
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commission the placement of [or maintain] a sign on a state highway |
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right-of-way unless the placement of the sign is authorized by |
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state law. |
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SECTION 2. Section 392.0325, Transportation Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows: |
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(c) This subchapter does not apply to a temporary |
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directional sign or kiosk erected by a political subdivision as |
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part of a program approved by the department and administered by the |
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political subdivision on a highway within the boundaries of the |
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political subdivision. |
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(d) This subchapter does not apply to a sign placed in the |
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right-of-way by a public utility or its contractor for purposes of |
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the utility. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 392, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Sections 392.0355 and 392.039 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 392.0355. CIVIL PENALTY. (a) In addition to being |
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subject to a criminal penalty, a person who intentionally violates |
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this subchapter is liable for a civil penalty. The attorney general |
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or a district or county attorney of the county in which the |
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violation is alleged to have occurred may sue to collect the |
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penalty. |
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(b) The amount of the civil penalty is not less than $500 or |
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more than $1,000 for each violation, depending on the seriousness |
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of the violation and whether the person has previously violated |
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this chapter. A separate penalty may be collected for each day a |
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continuing violation occurs. |
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(c) A penalty collected under this section shall be |
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deposited to the credit of the state highway fund if collected by |
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the attorney general and to the credit of the county road and bridge |
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fund of the county in which the violation occurred if collected by a |
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district or county attorney. |
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Sec. 392.039. INJUNCTION. (a) A sign that is erected in |
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violation of this subchapter is a public nuisance. |
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(b) On written notice by certified mail from the department, |
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an owner of a sign that is a public nuisance under Subsection (a), |
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or the owner of the property on which the sign is located, shall |
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remove the sign. If the sign is not removed within 45 days of the |
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date of the notice, the department may request the attorney general |
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or a district or county attorney of the county in which the |
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violation is alleged to have occurred to apply for an injunction to |
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require the removal of the sign. |
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(c) The state or the county in which the violation is |
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alleged to have occurred is entitled to recover from the owner of a |
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sign, or the owner of the property from which a sign is removed, |
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under an action brought under Subsection (b) all administrative and |
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legal costs and expenses incurred to remove the sign, including |
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court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. |
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SECTION 4. Section 393.002, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 393.002. SIGN PLACEMENT PROHIBITED. Except as |
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provided by Sections [Section] 393.0025 and 393.0026, a person may |
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not place or commission the placement of a sign on the right-of-way |
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of a public road unless the placement of the sign is authorized by |
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state law. |
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SECTION 5. Section 393.0025(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A person may not place, allow the placement of, or |
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commission the placement of a sign on the right-of-way of a road or |
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highway maintained by a municipality unless the placement is |
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authorized by the municipality. |
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SECTION 6. Chapter 393, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 393.0026 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 393.0026. EXCEPTION. (a) This chapter does not apply |
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to a temporary directional sign or kiosk erected by a political |
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subdivision as part of a program approved by the department and |
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administered by the political subdivision on a highway within the |
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boundaries of the political subdivision. |
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(b) This chapter does not apply to a sign placed in the |
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right-of-way by a public utility or its contractor for purposes of |
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the utility. |
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SECTION 7. Section 393.003(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A sheriff, [or] constable, or other trained volunteer |
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authorized by the commissioners court of a county may confiscate a |
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sign placed in violation of Section 393.002. |
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SECTION 8. Section 393.004, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) The sheriff, constable, or other trained volunteer |
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authorized by the commissioners court may discard a sign of less |
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than $25 in value without giving the notice required by Section |
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393.003. |
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SECTION 9. Section 393.005(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A person commits an offense if the person places or |
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commissions the placement of a sign in violation of this chapter |
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[Section 393.002]. |
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SECTION 10. Chapter 393, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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adding Sections 393.007 and 393.008 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 393.007. CIVIL PENALTY. (a) In addition to being |
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subject to a criminal penalty, a person who intentionally violates |
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this subchapter is liable to the municipality for a civil penalty. |
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A district or county attorney or a municipal attorney in the |
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jurisdiction in which the violation is alleged to have occurred may |
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sue to collect the penalty. |
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(b) The amount of the civil penalty is not less than $500 or |
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more than $1,000 for each violation, depending on the seriousness |
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of the violation and whether the person has previously violated |
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this chapter. A separate penalty may be collected for each day a |
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continuing violation occurs. |
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(c) A penalty collected under this section shall be |
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deposited to the credit of the general fund of the municipality in |
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which the violation occurred if collected by a municipal attorney, |
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or to the credit of the county road and bridge fund of the county in |
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which the violation occurred if collected by a district or county |
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attorney. |
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Sec. 393.008. INJUNCTION. (a) A sign that is erected in |
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violation of this chapter is a public nuisance. |
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(b) On written notice by certified mail from the |
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municipality or county, an owner of a sign that is a public nuisance |
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under Subsection (a), or the owner of the property on which the sign |
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is located, shall remove the sign. If the sign is not removed |
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within 45 days of the date of the notice, the municipality or county |
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may request the attorney general or a district or county attorney of |
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the county in which the violation is alleged to have occurred to |
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apply for an injunction to require the removal of the sign. |
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(c) The municipality or county in which the violation is |
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alleged to have occurred is entitled to recover from the owner of a |
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sign, or the owner of the property from which a sign is removed, |
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under an action brought under Subsection (b) all administrative and |
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legal costs and expenses incurred to remove the sign, including |
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court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. |
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SECTION 11. Section 26.045, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (f) to read as |
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follows: |
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(c) Except as provided by Subsections [Subsection] (d) and |
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(f), a county court that is in a county with a criminal district |
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court does not have any criminal jurisdiction. |
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(f) A county court has concurrent jurisdiction with a |
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municipal court in cases that arise in the municipality's |
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extraterritorial jurisdiction and that arise under an ordinance of |
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the municipality applicable to the extraterritorial jurisdiction |
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under Section 216.902, Local Government Code. |
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SECTION 12. Section 27.031, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) A justice court has concurrent jurisdiction with a |
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municipal court in cases that arise in the municipality's |
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extraterritorial jurisdiction and that arise under an ordinance of |
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the municipality applicable to the extraterritorial jurisdiction |
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under Section 216.902, Local Government Code. |
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SECTION 13. Article 4.11, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) A justice court has concurrent jurisdiction with a |
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municipal court in criminal cases that arise in the municipality's |
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extraterritorial jurisdiction and that arise under an ordinance of |
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the municipality applicable to the extraterritorial jurisdiction |
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under Section 216.902, Local Government Code. |
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SECTION 14. (a) The changes in law made by this Act to |
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Chapters 392 and 393, Transportation Code, apply only to an offense |
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committed on or after the effective date of this Act. For purposes |
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of this section, an offense is committed before the effective date |
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of this Act if any element of the offense occurs before that date. |
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(b) An offense committed before the effective date of this |
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Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 15. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |