2014 -- H 7625

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LC004727

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HIGHWAYS - OUTDOOR ADVERTISING

     Introduced By: Representatives Craven, Marshall, and O'Brien

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2014

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 24-10.1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 24-10.1 entitled

"Outdoor Advertising" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     24-10.1-2. Definitions. -- As used in this chapter:

      (1) "Information center" means an area or site established and maintained as safety rest

areas for the purpose of informing the public of places of interest within the state and providing

such other information as the director of transportation may consider desirable.

      (2) "Interstate system" means that portion of the national system of interstate and defense

highways located within this state, as officially designated, or as may hereafter be so designated,

by the director of transportation, and approved pursuant to the provisions of title 23, United States

Code, Highways.

      (3) (i) "Maintenance" means the normal repair of outdoor advertising due to wear and

tear. Maintenance shall not include the relocation nor the increase of advertisement size nor

height. Maintenance shall not permit any alterations such as the addition of face lighting nor lit

panels, moving parts, sparkling surfaces, cutouts nor temporary extensions of advertising space.

      (ii) Maintenance shall permit the change in the advertisement copy by means of trivision

technology or other equivalent technology approved by the department of transportation and, if

necessary, the federal highway administration; provided, however, for each sign using such

technology two (2) valid permits for signs of equivalent size shall be required. Provided, further,

however, that in the event that a person, firm or corporation does not hold more than one permit,

only one permit for signs of equivalent size shall be required.

      (4) "Outdoor advertising" means an outdoor sign, display, light, device, figure, painting,

drawing, message, plaque, poster, billboard, structure, or other thing which is designed, intended

or used to advertise or inform, any part of the advertising or information contents of which is

visible from any place on the main-traveled way of the interstate, primary, or secondary systems.

      (5) "Primary systems" means that portion of connected main highways, as officially

designated, or as may hereafter be so designated, by the director of transportation, pursuant to the

provisions of title 23, United States Code, Highways.

      (6) "Safety rest area" means an area or site established and maintained within or adjacent

to the right-of-way by or under public supervision or control, for the convenience of the traveling

public.

      (7) "Secondary systems" means that portion of state maintained roads that are neither

interstate nor primary roads.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HIGHWAYS - OUTDOOR ADVERTISING

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     This act would remove the requirement that maintenance changes to outdoor advertising,

which use trivision or equivalent technology, need the approval of the department of

transportation and/or the federal highway administration.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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