Alert: August 30, 2011

To: AAF Missouri Advertising Clubs

An opportunity has arisen for you to provide assistance to your outdoor advertising members.

In early July, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon (D) vetoed HB 430, the state transportation bill, based upon his belief that the bill eroded local control, particularly for billboards. The bill was strongly supported by the outdoor advertising industry and had overwhelmingly passed in both the Missouri House and Senate. The industry is working to convince the legislature to override the Governor’s veto.

The legislation would create a category of legal “out of standard” signs which will allow relocation of billboards in lieu of removal and payment of multi-millions of dollars to sign owners and landowners. The Municipal League had signed off on the compromise legislation. The Federal Highway Administration concurred as well.

The legislation would allow scarce funding resources to be more appropriately allocated for highway construction and maintenance projects instead of paying to remove billboards that advertise local businesses and support jobs in Missouri.

The Missouri Outdoor Advertising Association is spearheading an effort to override the Governor’s veto. To date, the Missouri Truckers Association, Truck Stop Operators, Caves Owners Association, Convenience Stores Association and others support that effort. The Legislature will hold a veto session on September 12.

While most House Democratic members voted in favor of the bill, many of them may be reluctant to oppose the Governor. They should be encouraged to support their original position. Please urge your club members to contact the House Democratic members and ask them to vote to override the Governor’s veto of HB 430. The legislative website’s directory of House members includes a search engine that allows you to search for representatives by zip code.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact reach me or Bill May, the executive director of the Missouri Outdoor Advertising Association at MOAAhomeofc@aol.com or 417-833-4500.

The legislature should override the Governor’s veto because:

• H.B. 430 will save the tax payers an estimated $65 million dollars over the next decade by allowing many existing signs displaced by road construction to be relocated rather than purchased at full value.
• Without this legislation, any major interstate construction would result in the loss of possibly thousands of signs currently promoting Missouri's business community.
• H.B. 430 would allow the use of new technology such as price signs, digital displays and LED lighting.
• H.B. 430 would prohibit local governments from adopting total citywide bans on outdoor advertising while allowing them wide latitude to adopt local outdoor advertising regulations they deem appropriate.