HBA-LJP H.B. 2141 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2141 By: Marchant Land & Resource Management 4/19/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In 1985, the Texas Legislature modified the regulations governing signs to comply with federal regulations, but established "grandfathering" provisions that allowed an existing sign to remain until the sign needed to be replaced. Signs that do not meet current standards are nonconforming signs. Under current law, a municipality is authorized to require the relocation, reconstruction, or removal of any sign within its corporate limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction. Some municipalities have used this authorization to replace nonconforming signs with smaller nonconforming signs. House Bill 2141 prohibits a nonconforming, offpremise sign that has been permitted to remain in place as a nonconforming use from being eligible for replacement or reconstruction at its current location. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 2141 amends the Local Government Code to prohibit a nonconforming, off-premise sign that has been permitted to remain in place as a nonconforming use from being eligible for replacement or reconstruction at its current location. The bill provides that the nonconforming use attaches to the original off-premise sign and prohibits the authorization of a new, nonconforming, off-premise sign at such location. The bill provides that the definition of "non-conforming sign' is a sign that was lawfully installed at its current location but no longer complies with the local regulations. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage.