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Senate Bill 417 would clarify billboard lease transfers, ease conversion penalties for one company
Summary
At a Feb. 24 public hearing, proponents said Senate Bill 417 would clarify documentation for landowner consent on outdoor advertising permits, confirm that leases transfer with property sales, and remove a conversion penalty that now applies to a single company holding a large share of 'credits' tied to digital billboard conversions.
Senate Bill 417, which would modify provisions for relocation of outdoor advertising signs and digital billboards, received a public hearing Feb. 24 before the Joint Committee on Transportation.
The bill’s sponsors and industry witnesses told the committee the measure is primarily housekeeping and seeks to fix two discrete problems.
Tom Barrows, representing the Oregon Outdoor Advertising Association, said the bill would make clear that leases for signs “go with the property” when land is sold and that the new owner need not sign a separate authorization to maintain an existing leased sign. “Mister Co Chair, members of the committee, Tom Barrows representing the Oregon Outdoor Advertising Association, here, in favor of Senate Bill, 4 17,” Barrows told the committee.
Barrows said that clarification is intended to avoid a recurring question from ODOT staff about whether a new property owner must provide separate authorization when a sign site changes hands. He described that change as a “housekeeping” fix so owners and regulators are not left uncertain about whether a simple property sale requires extra steps.
The bill’s second change deals with credits created when a non‑digital billboard is removed to allow a digital billboard to be erected. Scott Barry, speaking for Outfront Media, said a late change to the original 2011 law created a penalty that now applies to “1 company” that meets the large‑share criteria. “We’re the only company left with, certain the the number of credits that we would require that, we’ve met with ODOT, kind of been working through this,” Barry told the committee, and said his client is prepared to cancel some signs if the bill passes.
Barry said his company and ODOT have discussed the approach and that he was “not aware of anybody, in opposition to the bill.”
There was no public opposition in the hearing room and no members of the public rose to testify; the committee chair closed the hearing at the end of the testimony.
Next steps: no committee vote on Senate Bill 417 was recorded at this meeting; the public hearing record was closed pending any further committee action.
