BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2559
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Date of Hearing: April 12, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS, TOURISM, AND
INTERNET MEDIA
Kansen Chu, Chair
AB 2559
(Frazier) - As Amended March 18, 2016
SUBJECT: Tourist-oriented directional signs: visitor centers.
SUMMARY: This bill would require Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) to authorize tourist-oriented directional signs
(TODS) for any visitor center that is located within 2 miles
from the highway intersection, as specified.
Specifically, this bill declares that the department shall
authorize under this chapter tourist-oriented directional signs
for any visitor's center seeking a sign if the visitor center is
located within two miles from the highway intersection and that
authorization otherwise meets the requirements of this chapter.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Provides that Caltrans is charged with ownership and operation
of the state highway system.
2)Authorizes Caltrans to post various types of highway signs.
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3)Establishes a TODS program within Caltrans, as specified, with
a principle function of providing local tourist information.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS:
1)Author's statement of need for legislation: better visibility
for tourist attractions. According to the author's office, "In
1994, the Tourist-Oriented Directional Sign (TODS) Program was
enacted. TODS authorizes the Department of Transportation to
provide signage on freeway intersections that direct motorists
to various attractions, including but not limited to,
wineries, gift shops, restaurants, service stations, etc. The
original intent of TODS was to increase the visibility of
rural businesses and tourist attractions. Many motorists and
vacationers may not be familiar with attractions and
destinations in a given area.
"Studies show that 209.8 million leisure trips were taken in
California in 2015. Direct travel spending from those trips
totaled $120.8 billion, a 2.8% jump from 2014. This travel
spending directly supported 1,058,000 jobs with earnings of
$40.1 billion. Additionally, travel spending in 2015 generated
$4.5 billion in local tax revenue and $5.2 billion in state
tax revenue. Forecasts for 2016 travel indicates a total of
214.6 million leisure trips, an increase of 2.3% or 4.8
million trips. Forecasts also show a 2.7% increase in travel
spending, totaling $124.1 billion.
AB 2559
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AB 2559 modifies the requirements for the location of
tourist-based directional signs to visitor's centers within
two miles from the highway rather than the current mile
distance. Expanding the TODS program to include additional
visitor centers that do not have current directional signs
will increase motorists' awareness and accessibility to more
of California's many attractions and destinations and will in
turn generate further economic benefits to the state."
2)Background:
a) Proposal would alter existing regulation on TODS
distance from highways. This bill would specify that, "The
department shall authorize under this chapter
tourist-oriented directional signs for any visitor's center
seeking a sign if the visitor center is located within two
miles from the highway intersection and that authorization
otherwise meets the requirements of this chapter." This new
language to the code would alter existing Caltrans practice
as contained in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (California MUTCD), which currently
declares with regard to Tourist Information signage, that
"Facilities should be within 0.5 miles of the highway..."
(California MUTCD, Chapter 21, part 2I, p. 566).
b) How the California TODS program operates. According to
information contained on the Caltrans website, the
following describes the TODS program:
i) Tourist-Oriented Directional Signs (TODS) Program is
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a California sign program that was authorized by the
California State Legislature through the passage of State
Assembly Bill 2339 in 1994. The purpose of the program is
to guide "out-of-town" travelers to California's tourist
attractions. The Bill requires that Caltrans establish
and charge a fee to place and maintain these generic
TODS. Businesses such as wineries, gift shops,
restaurants, arts and crafts shops, etc. can qualify if
the eligibility requirements are met.
(1) Signs are NOT allowed:
(2) On freeways and expressways
(3) On congested highways
(4) Within any city limits
(5) Within areas of population exceeding 50,000
(6) If the business is adjacent to and visible
from the highway
(7) If business has on-premise or off-premise
signing
ii) The cost for one panel, one direction is $400.00 for
the initial permitee and Caltrans Maintenance maintains
the sign panel(s), broken down as follows:
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(1) $70.00 - Non-refundable
eligibility/application fee
(2) $30.00 - Annual Maintenance fee per panel per
direction
(3) $300.00 - Installation/Processing fee per
panel per direction
3)Prior related legislation. AB 2339 (O'Connell), Chapter 572,
Legislation of 1994, established the California TODS program
in order to increase the visibility of rural businesses and
tourist attractions, particularly those businesses not
immediately visible from a state highway. According to the
Assembly Transportation Committee analysis, "The rationale
(for the bill) is that many motorists on vacation trips do not
necessarily know what attractions and destinations exist in a
given area. TODS are characterized by sponsors as being more
effective and less expensive than other means of advertising,
such as brochures, visitor centers, etc." The same analysis
notes that similar TODS programs have been implemented in a
number of states and are sanctioned by the federal government.
4)Double-referral: Should this bill pass out of this committee,
it will be re-referred to the Assembly Committee on
Transportation.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
AB 2559
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Support
California Travel Association
Opposition
There is no opposition on file.
Analysis Prepared by:Dana Mitchell / A.,E.,S.,T., & I.M. / (916)
319-3450