SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SSB 5720

                       AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 13, 1991

Brief Description:  Recodifying statutes on motorist information signs.

SPONSORS:Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Patterson, Vognild and Nelson; by request of Department of Transportation).

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5720 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Patterson, Chairman; Barr, Conner, Hansen, Madsen, McMullen, Oke, Sellar, Skratek, and Snyder.  

Staff:  Brian McMorrow (786‑7304)

Hearing Dates:February 19, 1991

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

BACKGROUND:

Logos that are installed on highway rights-of-way are authorized by RCW 47.42, the Scenic Vistas Act, which regulates advertising signs such as billboards located on private property that are visible to interstate and state highways.  Since 1974, when they were incorporated into the Scenic Vistas Act, logos have become nationally recognized traffic control devices.

SUMMARY:

This legislation moves RCW 47.42.020(10), (11), (13) and (14), 47.42.046, 47.42.047, 47.42.0475, 47.42.052, 47.42.160 and 47.42.170 into Chapter 47.36, Traffic Control Devices.  RCW 47.42.160, State Parks Signs, is included because these signs are traffic control devices installed on highway rights-of-way.  Adopt-a-highway signs are recodified into RCW 47.36, Traffic Control Devices.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

Logos and adopt-a-highway signs are traffic control devices and belong in RCW 47.36.  There are no substantive changes made to the statutes.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Dave Peach, Department of Transportation

HOUSE AMENDMENT(S):

The Department of Transportation must ensure that specific information panels, such as motorist information panels with the words "gas," "food," or "lodging," are installed within nine months of receiving the request for installation from business persons.