HLS 20RS-497 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 86
BY REPRESENTATIVE BAGLEY
ATTORNEYS: Urges and requests the Department of Transportation and Development to
prohibit attorneys from the use of billboard advertisements on highways that are
unrelated to a campaign for public office
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the Department of Transportation and Development to prohibit
3 attorneys from using outdoor advertisements on highways that are unrelated to a
4 campaign for public office.
5 WHEREAS, in 1965, the Federal Highway Beautification Act was enacted to
6empower states to regulate the placement of outdoor advertising signs, displays, and devices
7adjacent to designated highways to protect public investment, to promote recreation value
8of public travel and safety, and to preserve the natural and scenic beauty of the nation's
9system of highways; and
10 WHEREAS, in 1966, the United States Department of Transportation Act was
11adopted for the purpose of promoting the safety and recreational value of public travel and
12to restore, preserve, and enhance the scenic beauty and points of interest in areas traversed
13by state highways; and
14 WHEREAS, by enactment of R.S. 48:461 et seq., the Louisiana Legislature
15authorized the Department of Transportation and Development to promulgate rules and
16regulations governing the issuance of permits for outdoor advertising consistent with the
17Highway Beautification Act and consistent with protection of the safety and welfare of the
18traveling public; and
Page 1 of 3 HLS 20RS-497 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 86
1 WHEREAS, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
2distracted driving is defined as any activity that diverts a person's attention away from the
3task of driving and the distraction can be visual, manual, or cognitive; and
4 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission data for 2018 indicates that
5most wrecks caused by distracted driving are because of "distractions outside of the vehicle"
6equating to 7,000 wrecks in 2018; and
7 WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation data for 2018 specifies
8that distracted driving claimed 2,841 lives; and
9 WHEREAS, data from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission and the
10Department of Transportation and Development show a strong, positive correlation between
11the volume of "wrecks caused by distractions outside the vehicle" and parishes with a high
12volume of permitted off-premise outdoor advertising signs; and
13 WHEREAS, attorney outdoor advertisements targeted towards particular industries
14and promising large settlements have contributed to numerous lawsuits that ultimately
15increase the cost of automobile and commercial insurance; and
16 WHEREAS, according to the Insurance Research Council, claimants in Louisiana
17that report bodily injury are sixty percent more likely to file lawsuits than the rest of the
18claimants in the nation; and
19 WHEREAS, excluding attorneys from outdoor advertisement on highways will likely
20decrease the number of insurance claims due to accidents on the roadways and decrease
21insurance premiums.
22 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
23urge and request the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to prohibit
24attorneys from outdoor advertisement on highways that is unrelated to a campaign for public
25office.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
27secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
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HCR NO. 86
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 86 Original 2020 Regular Session Bagley
Urges and requests the Dept. of Transportation and Development to prohibit attorneys from
using outdoor advertisement on highways that is unrelated to a campaign for public office.
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