Clarifying the placement of advertising signs on state-owned property.
One significant impact of HB554 is that it sets clear guidelines that candidates must follow regarding their advertising signs during elections. Candidates are required to remove their political advertising by a specified deadline, which is the second Friday following an election, unless the candidate wins a primary election. This provision helps maintain an orderly appearance of streets and public spaces post-election.
House Bill 554 aims to clarify the regulations regarding the placement and removal of political and other advertising signs on state-owned property. The bill repeals and reenacts the previous statute RSA 664:17, outlining specific conditions under which advertising, particularly political advertising, can be placed on both private and state-owned properties. It emphasizes the necessity for owner consent for any affixed advertising on private property and explicitly prohibits the placement of such advertising on state-owned public property, with some exceptions for rights-of-way where consent is granted.
The bill also includes important stipulations regarding the removal of political advertisements. If found affixed on public property without authorization, these signs can be removed by authorized personnel, such as state or local maintenance or law enforcement. However, it protects these signs by requiring that any removed before election day be kept for retrieval by the candidates, addressing potential concerns about unfair removal or vandalism of campaign materials. This aspect of the bill may lead to discussions on the balance between maintaining public order and protecting political expression during election cycles.