Bill

SB 357

86(R) - 2019
Senate Transportation
House Transportation
Senate Transportation
House Transportation
Highways
Transportation & Infrastructure

Vote Recommendation

Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Robert Nichols

Co-Author(s)

Dawn Buckingham
Charles Schwertner
Kirk Watson

Sponsor(s)

Terry Canales

Bill Caption

Relating to the height of outdoor advertising signs regulated by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Bill Analysis

SB 357 would limit outdoor advertising signs in the state which are regulated by the Texas Department of Transportation to be no higher than 60 feet, excluding cutouts that extend above the borders of the signs. Signs higher than 60 feet and lower than 85 feet on March 1, 2017 would be allowed to keep their current height. The bill would additionally include an exemption for a sign regulated by a municipality under an agreement with TxDOT.

Vote Recommendation Notes

Texas Action remains neutral on SB 357.  While we do not support the outright goals of this bill, we recognize that sign height is already regulated in statute and in TxDoT agency regulations. Ultimately, we would prefer the state not regulate this issue at all. However we believe that if it is to be regulated, it is always best for policy to be enacted and controlled by elected officials instead of by state agencies via the bureaucratic rulemaking process; something that the passage of this bill would accomplish.