AB 400, as amended, Alejo. Department of Transportation: changeable message signs.
Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation has full possession and control of all state highways. Existing law, the Outdoor Advertising Act, provides for the regulation by the department of advertising displays, as defined, within view of public highways. Existing law also authorizes the department to install and maintain information signs along state highways.
This bill would require the department, by June 30, 2016, to update its internal policies to allow displays of safety, transportation-related, and voting-related messages on changeable message signs, as defined, subject to approval by the United States Department of Transportation, as provided.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 101.14 is added to the Streets and
2Highways Code, to read:
(a) Prior to June 30, 2016, and subject to federal
4approval as provided in subdivision (d), the department shall update
5its internal policies to allow displays of the following types of
6messages on changeable message signs:
7(1) Safety messages.
8(2) Transportation-related messages.
9(3) Reminders to register tobegin delete vote,end deletebegin insert vote, as requested by the
10Secretary of State,end insert
not more thanbegin delete 14end deletebegin insert twoend insert days priorbegin delete toend deletebegin insert to, and onend insert
11 thebegin delete deadline toend deletebegin insert last day to,end insert register to vote in a particular statewide
12begin delete general, primary, or special election.end deletebegin insert
general election, statewide
13primary election, or statewide special election conducted pursuant
14to the Elections Code.end insert
15(4) Reminders tobegin delete voteend deletebegin insert vote, as requested by the Secretary of
16State,end insert as elections approach, not more thanbegin delete 14end deletebegin insert twoend insert days priorbegin delete toend delete
17begin insert to, and on election day of,end insert a particular statewidebegin delete general, primary, begin insert
general election, statewide primary election,
18or special election.end delete
19or statewide special election conducted pursuant to the Elections
20Code.end insert
21(b) For purposes of this section, “changeable message sign”
22means any electronic sign on a roadway with a changeable message
23typically used to alert motorists of traffic conditions, unusual
24weather conditions, emergencies, or other events.
25(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the
26requirements of the Emergency Alert System, the Amber Plan
27under Section 8594 of the Government Code, or thebegin insert Blue Alert
28Systemend insert under Section 8594.5 of the Government Code. The
29departmentbegin delete shallend deletebegin insert
mayend insert give priority tobegin insert other messages, including,
30but not limited to,end insert the display of emergency alerts, Amberbegin delete Alerts, begin insert Alerts,end insert Blue
31andend deletebegin delete Alertsend deletebegin insert Alerts, safety messages, and
32transportation-related messages,end insert over the messages authorized
33pursuant to paragraph (3) or (4) of subdivision (a).
34(d) The department shall not display any information on a
35changeable message
sign authorized pursuant to paragraph (3) or
36(4) of subdivision (a) unless the United States Department of
37Transportation, or any of its agencies, has expressly approved the
38display of that information. If the department is advised by the
P3 1United States Department of Transportation, or any of its agencies,
2that the display of information otherwise authorized by paragraph
3(3) or (4) of subdivision (a) will result in the reduction of federal
4aid highway funds to the state pursuant to Section 131 of Title 23
5of the United States Code, that display of information shall not be
6made.
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