UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 187
Page 1 of 3
XXXX 1/7/2025 9:04 AM Jacketed
AN ACT relating to welcome centers and rest areas. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
ď˘SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 177 IS CREATED TO 3
READ AS FOLLOWS: 4
(1) As used in this section: 5
(a) "Acknowledgement sign" means an official sign that meets: 6
1. All design and placement guidelines for acknowledgment signs as 7
established in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for 8
Streets and Highways as published by the United States Department of 9
Transportation; and 10
2. All sign design rules covered in the federal Standard highway Signs 11
and Markings Book as published by the United States Department of 12
Transportation; 13
3. Located in the right-of-way; and 14
4. Is intended to inform the traveling public that a highway-related 15
service, product, or monetary contribution has been sponsored by a 16
private entity; and 17
(b) "Sponsorship agreement" means an agreement or contract between the 18
cabinet and a private entity, which is acknowledged for a highway-related 19
service, product, or monetary contribution provided. 20
(2) The cabinet may establish a sponsorship agreement that allows a person or 21
private entity to sponsor a welcome center or rest area. Any monetary 22
contribution, service, or product received by the cabinet shall be used for the 23
maintenance and upkeep of the welcome center or rest area. 24
(3) A sponsorship agreement shall allow the installation of acknowledgment signs 25
within welcome centers and rest areas and on the portion of the interstate system 26
and state system of highways and associated rights-of-way near welcome centers 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 187
Page 2 of 3
XXXX 1/7/2025 9:04 AM Jacketed
and rest areas. 1
(4) The cabinet shall promulgate administrative regulations in accordance with KRS 2
Chapter 13A to establish a sponsorship policy and process to enter into 3
sponsorship agreements to install acknowledgment signs at welcome centers and 4
rest areas. 5
(5) The sponsorship policy for sponsorship agreements that applies to all welcome 6
centers and rest areas shall: 7
(a) Be subject to approval by the Federal Highway Administration; 8
(b) Include requirements that eligible sponsors comply with state and federal 9
law prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, 10
sex, religion, disability, or any other federally protected class; 11
(c) Include language requiring the cabinet to terminate a sponsorship 12
agreement if it determines the sponsorship agreement or acknowledgement 13
sign: 14
(i) Presents a safety concern; 15
(ii) Interferes with the free and safe flow of traffic; or 16
(iii) Is not in the public interest; and 17
(d) Describe the types of sponsors and sponsorship agreements that are 18
acceptable and consistent with applicable state and federal law. 19
(6) A person or entity that enters into a sponsorship agreement with the cabinet shall 20
pay the costs of: 21
(a) Manufacturing and installing an acknowledgement sign; 22
(b) Placing a sponsorship message on a sign or marker; and 23
(c) Removing all acknowledgment signs, messages, and markers after the 24
expiration or termination of the sponsorship agreement. 25
(7) An acknowledgment sign shall: 26
(a) Identify the sponsor as a sponsor of the welcome center or rest area and 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 187
Page 3 of 3
XXXX 1/7/2025 9:04 AM Jacketed
include the name and logo of the sponsor; 1
(b) Not include, identify, or promote alcohol or tobacco products, adult-2
oriented establishments, political candidacies, political issue advocacy, or 3
political campaign advertising; 4
(c) Not resemble an official traffic-control device; and 5
(d) Comply with federal outdoor advertising regulations in accordance with 23 6
U.S.C. sec. 131. 7