GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2021
S 1
SENATE BILL 29
Short Title: Ricky's Law/Political Sign Placement. |
(Public) |
|
Sponsors: |
Senators Perry, Craven, and Sawyer (Primary Sponsors). |
|
Referred to: |
Rules and Operations of the Senate |
|
February 2, 2021
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to reduce the time allowed to place a political sign in a right‑of‑way from 30 days to 10 days before one‑stop early voting and 10 days after the primary or election.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 136‑32 reads as rewritten:
"§ 136‑32. Regulation of signs.
…
(b) Compliant Political
Signs Permitted. – During the period beginning on the 30th 10th
day before the beginning date of "one‑stop" early voting
under G.S. 163‑227.2 and ending on the 10th day after the
primary or election day, persons may place political signs in the right‑of‑way
of the State highway system as provided in this section. Signs must be placed
in compliance with subsection (d) of this section and must be removed by the
end of the period prescribed in this subsection. Any political sign remaining
in the right‑of‑way of the State highway system more than 30 10
days after the end of the period prescribed in this subsection shall be
deemed unlawfully placed and abandoned property, and a person may remove and
dispose of such political sign without penalty.
…
(f) Application Within
Municipalities. – Pursuant to Article 8 of Chapter 160A of the General
Statutes, a city may by ordinance prohibit or regulate the placement of
political signs on rights‑of‑way of streets located within the
corporate limits of a municipality and maintained by the municipality. Any such
ordinance shall provide that any political sign that remains in a right‑of‑way
of streets located within the corporate limits of a municipality and maintained
by the municipality more than 30 10 days after the end of the
period prescribed in the ordinance is to be deemed unlawfully placed and
abandoned property, and a person may remove and dispose of such political sign
without penalty. In the absence of an ordinance prohibiting or regulating the
placement of political signs on the rights‑of‑way of streets
located within a municipality and maintained by the municipality, the
provisions of subsections (b) through (e) of this section shall apply."
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to the placement of political signs for an election held on or after that date.