Tribal nation welcome signs

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill authorizes a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state to erect and maintain within the right-of-way of any highway within the boundaries of an Indian reservation or other land held in trust for the tribe or band a tribal nation welcome sign. Under the bill, “tribal nation welcome sign” means an official sign erected and maintained by a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state that the tribe determines is necessary to inform motorists of the territorial boundaries of tribal reservation and trust lands. The bill provides that welcome signs may not be erected within the right-of-way of an interstate highway and are not subject to the Wisconsin manual on traffic control devices adopted by the Department of Transportation.

Under current law generally, no sign may be placed within the limits of any street or highway except as necessary for the guidance or warning of traffic, the safeguard of children at play, or to indicate the presence of a neighborhood watch program. This prohibition does not apply to directional and other official signs or to municipal welcome signs.

Who's behind it

5 senators are its authors⁠. 3 are Democrats and 2 are Republicans.

21 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.