Outdoor advertising displays: exemptions: City of Artesia.
If passed, AB1982 would exempt specific advertising displays located in designated areas adjacent to State Highway Route 91 within Artesia, provided they comply with local rules regarding size, visibility, illumination, and content restrictions. This includes prohibitions on advertising tobacco, firearms, or sexually explicit content, along with a requirement that the displays promote only local products and services. The bill places the burden of ensuring compliance on the City of Artesia, which must indemnify the Department of Transportation in case of failure to regulate appropriately.
Assembly Bill 1982, introduced by Assembly Member Cristina Garcia, proposes amendments to the Outdoor Advertising Act, specifically targeting exemptions for outdoor advertising displays within the City of Artesia. The bill aims to allow certain advertising displays to operate without conforming to some of the standard regulations established by the Act, as long as they meet specific criteria set forth by local ordinances. It seeks to grant the City of Artesia more autonomy to regulate these displays based on local needs and circumstances.
The necessity of this special statute, as highlighted in the bill's findings, arises from unique geographic and economic conditions pertinent to Artesia. This amendment could spark debate around the balance of local control versus statewide regulations, particularly concerning traffic safety and visual standards along critical transportation routes. Opponents of the bill might argue that broad exemptions could lead to an increase in visual clutter and distractions for drivers, potentially compromising road safety.