SB 964 Summary

• Amends Michigan's Highway Advertising Act to regulate outdoor signs and billboards adjacent to interstate highways, freeways, and primary highways to enhance scenic beauty and limit tobacco product advertising to minors.

• Establishes permit requirements for sign owners, with initial permit fees of $100-$200 depending on sign type and annual renewal fees of $50-$200, plus transfer fees up to $500.

• Prohibits issuance of new sign permits after January 1, 2007, except for interim permits (issued when existing signs are removed), religious/service club signs up to 8 square feet, and on-premises business signs up to 150 square feet.

• Implements spacing requirements of 1,000 feet between signs on interstate highways and freeways, 500 feet on primary highways, and 1,750 feet between digital billboards, with exemptions for signs separated by buildings or visual obstructions.

• Authorizes the Michigan Department of Transportation to remove illegal signs, recover removal costs plus penalties, assess daily fines ($100-$200) for unpermitted signs, and conduct administrative hearings for enforcement; takes effect 90 days after enactment.