EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0734*
SENATE BILL 734
R1 3lr1612
CF 3lr1450
By: Senator Zucker
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2023
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Transportation – Highways – Tourist Area and Corridor Signage Program 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Tourist Area and Corridor Signage Program; requiring 3
the State Highway Administration, in collaboration with the Department of 4
Commerce, to administer the program and establish an Eligibility Committee to 5
review attraction applications; requiring the Administration to conduct a certain 6
investigation on signing feasibility and prepare a signing plan if the Eligibility 7
Committee approves an attraction’s application; requiring the Department of 8
Commerce to review a signing plan for approval; requiring the Administration to 9
install each sign included in an approved signing plan; and generally relating to the 10
Tourist Area and Corridor Signage Program. 11
BY adding to 12
Article – Transportation 13
Section 8–755 to be under the new part “Part VIII. Tourist Area and Corridor 14
Signage Program” 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
Article – Transportation 20
8–753. RESERVED. 21
8–754. RESERVED. 22
PART VIII. TOURIST AREA AND CORRIDOR SIGNAGE PROGRAM. 23
2 SENATE BILL 734
8–755. 1
(A) THERE IS A MARYLAND TOURIST AREA AND CORRIDOR SIGNAGE 2
PROGRAM. 3
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO CREATE A SYSTEM OF 4
SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDE S IGNS TO DIRECT MOTOR ISTS TO ELIGIBLE IND IVIDUAL 5
ATTRACTIONS BY DIREC TING THE MOTORISTS F IRST TO GROUPS OF AT TRACTIONS. 6
(C) THE ADMINISTRATION , IN COLLABORATION WIT H THE DEPARTMENT 7
OF COMMERCE, SHALL: 8
(1) ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM; AND 9
(2) ESTABLISH AN ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE TO REVIEW A TTRACTION 10
APPLICATIONS. 11
(D) (1) (I) THE ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE SHALL DEVEL OP 12
STANDARDS AND PROCED URES FOR DETERMINING THE ELIGIBILITY OF A N 13
ATTRACTION FOR SIGNI NG. 14
(II) IF THE ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE APPROVES AN 15
ATTRACTION’S APPLICATION, THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL INVESTIGATE WHETHER 16
THERE IS SPACE AVAILABLE TO SIGN FOR THE ATTRACT ION. 17
(III) SIGNING IS SUBJECT TO SPACE AVAILABILITY B ASED ON 18
ADMINISTRATION REGULA TIONS AND REQUIREMEN TS. 19
(2) (I) IF THE ADMINISTRATION DETERM INES THAT SIGNING IS 20
FEASIBLE, THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL PREPARE A SIGNING PLAN FOR T HE 21
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO REVIEW . 22
(II) IN REVIEWING A SIGNIN G PLAN, THE DEPARTMENT OF 23
COMMERCE MAY CONSULT WITH OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND OF FICES. 24
(3) (I) IF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE APPROVES A S IGNING 25
PLAN, THE ADMINISTRAT ION SHALL INSTALL EA CH SIGN INCLUDED IN THE SIGNING 26
PLAN. 27
(II) AN APPLICANT AND THE PROGRAM SHALL SHARE E QUALLY 28
THE COSTS OF CONSTRU CTING AND INSTALLING EACH SIGN INCLUDED I N A SIGNING 29
PLAN. 30
SENATE BILL 734 3
(E) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSE CTION, 1
TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR S IGNING, AN ATTRACTION SHALL , AT A MINIMUM: 2
(I) PROVIDE RECREATIONAL , HISTORICAL, CULTURAL, OR 3
LEISURE ACTIVITIES T O THE PUBLIC; 4
(II) BE PRIMARILY A NONRET AIL ATTRACTION , WITH NOT MORE 5
THAN 20% OF THE INTERIOR SQUA RE FOOTAGE OF THE ATTRACTIO N DEVOTED TO 6
RETAIL SALES; 7
(III) BE OPEN TO RANDOM DAI LY VISITATION WITHOU T 8
ADVANCED RESERVATION S OR A REQUIRED EXTE NDED ATTENDANCE ; 9
(IV) IN DESIGNATED URBAN A REAS, MEET MINIMUM VISITOR 10
ATTENDANCE MEASURES ESTABLISHED BY THE ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE; 11
(V) BE OPEN AT LEAST: 12
1. 5 HOURS PER DAY ; 13
2. 4 DAYS PER WEEK , INCLUDING SATURDAY OR 14
SUNDAY; 15
3. 25 HOURS PER WEEK ; AND 16
4. 8 MONTHS EACH YEAR ; 17
(VI) 1. PUBLISH A BROCHURE OR HOST A WEBSITE THAT 18
PROVIDES THE ATTRACT ION’S HOURS OF OPERATION ; AND 19
2. POST THE HOURS OF OPE RATION AT THE 20
ATTRACTION LOCATION , CONSISTENT WITH THE HOURS OF OPERATION P UBLISHED 21
IN ITS BROCHURE OR A PPEARING ON ITS WEBS ITE; 22
(VII) PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS TO ONSITE RESTROOMS , WATER, 23
TELEPHONES , AND PARKING; 24
(VIII) PROVIDE AN INTERPRETE R OR GUIDE , PRINTED 25
SELF–GUIDED TOUR , OR INTERPRETATIVE SI GNING DURING ALL HOU RS OF 26
OPERATION; AND 27
(IX) MEET FEDERAL AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT 28
REQUIREMENTS FOR ACC ESSIBILITY. 29 4 SENATE BILL 734
(2) (I) THE ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE MAY APPROVE AN 1
ATTRACTION THAT DOES NOT MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER 2
PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION I F THE ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE 3
DETERMINES THAT THE ATTRACTION IS IMPORTANT TO THE STATE OR LOCAL 4
ECONOMY. 5
(II) A DESTINATION APPROVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 6
SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH SH ALL BE LISTED ON THE PROGRAM’S 7
WEBSITE. 8
(III) THE ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE MAY WAIVE T HE 9
REQUIREMENT THAT AN ATTRACTION BE OPEN AT LEAST 8 MONTHS EACH YEAR FOR 10
SEASONAL ATTRACTIONS . 11
(F) (1) TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SI GNING, AN ATTRACTION MAY NO T, BASED 12
ON A DETERMINATION B Y THE ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE, ALREADY BE 13
WELL–SIGNED ON A TOURIST AREA CORRIDOR. 14
(2) THE FOLLOWING CATEGOR IES OF ATTRACTIONS A RE ELIGIBLE 15
FOR SIGNING WITH GEN ERIC SYMBOLS APPROVE D FOR USE: 16
(I) VISITOR CENTERS ; 17
(II) GOLF COURSES; 18
(III) ANTIQUES ROWS ; 19
(IV) MARINAS; 20
(V) WINERIES; 21
(VI) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION , 22
BREWERIES; AND 23
(VII) ANY ADDITIONAL CATEGO RY IDENTIFIED BY THE 24
ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE. 25
(3) THE ADMINISTRATION AND TH E DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 26
SHALL DETERMINE THE GENERIC SYMBOL AND C RITERIA FOR BREWERY 27
ELIGIBILITY IN CONSU LTATION WITH A GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVER SE SET OF 28
COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDE RS, INCLUDING: 29
SENATE BILL 734 5
(I) STATE LEADERS IN THE BREWING INDUSTRY ; 1
(II) LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIA LS; 2
(III) LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELO PMENT OFFICIALS ; AND 3
(IV) LEADERS IN THE TOURIS M INDUSTRY. 4
(G) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE 5
ANNUAL BUDGET BILL A N APPROPRIATION OF $350,000 TO THE PROGRAM. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 7
October 1, 2023. 8