HIGHWAY SIGNS S.B. 1370:
FLOOR SUMMARY
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Senate Bill 1370 (as discharged)
Sponsor: Senator Jud Gilbert, II
Committee: Transportation
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Highway Advertising Act to do the following:
-- Require the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to issue a new permit for a religious organization sign or a service club sign that was not larger than eight square feet.
-- Permit a sign owner to maintain and repair a nonconforming sign, but prohibit such a sign from being moved or extended by more than 15%.
-- Provide that nonconforming signs that were damaged, destroyed, or removed and not repaired or replaced within 120 days would be considered abandoned.
-- Extend from 60 to 90 days the two annual application periods for a permit to manage vegetation around a highway sign.
-- Require MDOT to issue its decision on an application for a vegetation management permit within 90 days after receiving the application, rather than 30 days after the end of the application period, as currently required.
-- Prohibit MDOT from assessing against the applicant the cost of employing nondepartmental personnel or outside vendors for the purpose of meeting statutory deadlines.
-- Reduce the minimum distance between signs along interstate highways and freeways from 1,000 feet to 500 feet, and along primary highways from 500 feet to 300 feet, but retain the current minimum distances for a sign constructed under an interim permit.
-- Revise the penalty for delinquent payment of a highway sign permit renewal fee, and limit to $5,000 the amount that could be assessed in penalties from one permit holder in a given calendar year.
MCL 252.302 et al. Legislative Analyst: Curtis Walker
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would change the penalty for delinquent payment of the annual permit renewal fee for highway signs and billboards. Under current law, the penalty is $100 for delinquent payment. The bill would change the penalty to $20 if the payment were 30 days or more delinquent, and would authorize the Department of Transportation to cancel the permit if the annual renewal fee were not paid within 60 days. In addition, the bill would set a maximum amount for penalties at $5,000. Because it is unknown how many entities would be delinquent in paying the renewal fee or how many would meet the maximum penalty level, the exact fiscal impact of the bill cannot be determined at this time.
Date Completed: 6-18-08 Fiscal Analyst: Debra Hollon
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb1370/0708