Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Campaign Regulation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Panel backs compromise political‑sign changes: capped fines, smaller disclosure size
Summary
After negotiations with cities and towns, the committee approved changes that cap sign collection fees, lower the paid‑for disclosure threshold to common sign size and remove earlier park‑strip language.
Representative Tuscher summarized a revised political sign bill addressing committee concerns. Key changes include: a city may impose a collection fee only after a candidate's signs have been turned in three or more times and the fee is capped at $20 per collection incident (regardless of how many signs are collected), the paid‑for disclosure threshold is reduced to 24 by 18 inches and the disclosure may appear on any side of the sign (including a sticker), and prior language concerning park strips was removed after consultation with the League of Cities and Towns.
Justin Lee, deputy director of the League of Cities and Towns, said his organization appreciated the removal of the park‑strip language and had no outstanding concerns after the revisions. Committee members debated enforcement and the risk that malicious sign‑moving could create collection events, and staff noted that criminal penalties already apply to persons who remove and re‑place signs in prohibited ways. After discussion, the committee favorably recommended the bill as a committee file.
