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Committee backs tighter rules for political signs, including disclosure and removal provisions
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Summary
The Government Operations Committee unanimously recommended House Bill 33, which would require larger political signs to display a 'paid for by' disclosure, ban attaching objects that materially obscure messages, allow citizens to remove affixed obstructing material, and set a 14‑day post‑election removal deadline.
The Government Operations Committee on Tuesday unanimously recommended House Bill 33, a measure that tightens state rules for political signage. Sponsor Representative Tusher told the committee the bill updates state code after problems seen in recent partisan elections and aligns state law with common municipal rules.
The bill would require any political sign larger than 24 by 18 inches to include a disclosure stating who paid for the sign; the text must be reasonably legible to someone standing next to the sign and may appear on the back in small type. It also would prohibit attaching objects—stickers, additional signs or similar materials—that hide, block or materially change a sign’s message. Representative Tusher said such conduct would be a class B misdemeanor when it meets the bill’s standard.
Under the substitute language the committee discussed, a member of the public could remove affixed items that materially conceal a sign’s message, but removed signs must be deposited at a city‑designated location so campaigns can retrieve and remediate them. The bill also makes it unlawful to attach political signs to utility poles, traffic signals, electrical boxes and other regulated infrastructure and requires candidates to remove campaign signs no later than 14 calendar days after an election; signs not removed may be disposed of.
Municipal and county election officials offered support or neutrality in public comment. Justin Lee of the Utah League of Cities and Towns said the organization is “very comfortable with where the bill has landed,” and Ricky Hatch, representing the County Clerks of Utah, said clerks would take a neutral stance while appreciating the bill’s transparency aims and noting modest costs to maintain designated sign storage locations.
Representative McPherson moved the committee recommendation, and the committee approved the motion by voice vote.
The committee’s recommendation advances the bill to the next floor stage; no Senate action was recorded in this committee meeting.
