BILL ANALYSIS �
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 2441
Author: Mullin (D)
Amended: 6/11/14 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE : 11-0, 6/17/14
AYES: DeSaulnier, Gaines, Beall, Cannella, Galgiani, Hueso,
Lara, Liu, Pavley, Roth, Wyland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 70-4, 5/5/14 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Outdoor advertising
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill clarifies that advertising displays visible
from any highway cannot appear to be an official public agency
changeable message sign.
ANALYSIS : Existing law restricts advertising displays along
public roads in a variety of ways, including where displays can
be placed and what material they may present. For example,
advertising displays cannot be placed in highway rights-of-way
or within any stream or drainage channel. In addition, no
advertising displays visible from any highway can simulate or
imitate any directional, warning, danger, or information sign
permitted by existing law.
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AB 2441
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This bill clarifies that advertising displays visible from any
highway cannot appear to be an official public agency changeable
message sign.
Comments
Recent studies suggest that real-time traffic information on
changeable message signs has gained popularity in congested
urban areas. Further, displaying accurate travel times helps
commuters assess traffic, alleviates driver stress, and allows
drivers to make better route decisions. According to the
author, this bill ensures the continued effectiveness of
changeable message signs by prohibiting advertising displays
that appear to be official changeable message signs, but that
are simply advertisements.
Existing law restricts billboards from simulating or imitating
directional or information signs. This bill clarifies that
billboards cannot appear to be a changeable message sign, which
is an informational sign operated by the state or local
government. While it may be helpful to clarify that changeable
message signs are specifically not permitted, it is unclear
whether this clarification is necessary.
For example, the author has provided a photo of a billboard in
the San Francisco area that appeared to be a changeable message
sign, but was in fact an advertisement. The owner has since
removed the sign, upon Caltrans' formal request, based on the
fact that it violates existing law. Had the owner not removed
the advertisement, Caltrans would have begun issuing fines as
per the state's regular monitoring and enforcement process.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 70-4, 5/5/14
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,
Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian
Calderon, Campos, Chau, Ch�vez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley,
Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Fong, Frazier, Beth Gaines,
Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gorell, Gray, Hagman,
Hall, Harkey, Roger Hern�ndez, Holden, Jones, Jones-Sawyer,
Levine, Linder, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Medina, Mullin,
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AB 2441
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3
Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Nestande, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel P�rez,
Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas,
Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron,
Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, John A. P�rez
NOES: Donnelly, Grove, Olsen, Patterson
NO VOTE RECORDED: Eggman, Fox, Logue, Mansoor, Melendez,
Vacancy
JA:nl 7/1/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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