AB 679

Under current law, with limited exceptions, no sign, except a sign that is

necessary for the guidance or warning of traffic, may be placed within the limits of

any highway. A person who violates this prohibition must be fined not less than $10

nor more than $100 for a first violation and not less than $10 nor more than $500 for

a subsequent violation.

Under a different provision of current law, with limited exceptions, a person

may not erect, or cause to be erected, any advertising, guide, or warning sign within

a highway that is outside a city or village and is 1,000 feet or less from an intersection

with another highway. A person who violates this prohibition must be fined not less

than $25 nor more than $100 or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than 30

days or both.

This bill prohibits, with exceptions, a business entity from placing, or causing

to be placed, within a highway right-of-way any sign that advertises or promotes a

business identified on the sign or a business whose telephone number appears on the

sign. If a sign has been placed in violation of this prohibition and the business

identified on the sign or whose telephone number appears on the sign had the sign

made, there is a rebuttable presumption that this business caused the sign to be

placed. A business entity that violates this prohibition is subject to a civil forfeiture

of not more than $50 for each sign.