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UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 897
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AN ACT relating to welcome centers and rest areas. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 177 IS CREATED TO 3
READ AS FOLLOWS: 4
(1) As used in this section: 5
(a) "Acknowledgment sign" means an official sign that: 6
1. Meets all design and placement guidelines for acknowledgment signs 7
as established in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for 8
Streets and Highways as published by the United States Department of 9
Transportation; 10
2. Meets all sign design rules covered in the Standard Highway Signs 11
publication adopted by the United States Department of 12
Transportation; 13
3. Is located in the right-of-way; and 14
4. Is intended to inform the traveling public that a highway -related 15
service, pr oduct, or monetary contribution has been sponsored by a 16
private entity; and 17
(b) "Sponsorship agreement" means an agreement or contract between the 18
cabinet and a person or private entity, which is acknowledged for a 19
highway-related service, product, or monetary contribution provided. 20
(2) The cabinet may establish a sponsorship agreement that allows a person or 21
private entity to sponsor a welcome center or rest area. Any service, product, or 22
monetary contribution received by the cabinet shall be used for the maintenance 23
and upkeep of the welcome center or rest area. 24
(3) A person or private entity that enters into a sponsorship agreement with the 25
cabinet shall not be permitted to offer or make available commercial services or 26
products to the public at welcome c enters or rest areas that they sponsor and 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 897
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which are located on the: 1
(a) Interstate highway system; or 2
(b) State highway system for prices or fees below the prevailing market rate. 3
(4) A sponsorship agreement shall allow the installation of acknowledgment signs 4
within welcome centers and rest areas and on the portion of the interstate 5
highway system and state highway system and associated rights -of-way near 6
welcome centers and rest areas. 7
(5) The cabinet shall promulgate administrative regulations in accord ance with KRS 8
Chapter 13A to establish a sponsorship policy and process to enter into 9
sponsorship agreements to install acknowledgment signs at welcome centers and 10
rest areas. 11
(6) The sponsorship policy for sponsorship agreements that applies to all welcom e 12
centers and rest areas shall: 13
(a) Be subject to approval by the Federal Highway Administration; 14
(b) Include requirements that eligible sponsors comply with state and federal 15
law prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, 16
sex, religion, disability, or any other federally protected class; 17
(c) Include language requiring the cabinet to terminate a sponsorship 18
agreement if it determines the sponsorship agreement or acknowledgment 19
sign: 20
1. Presents a safety concern; 21
2. Interferes with the free and safe flow of traffic; or 22
3. Is not in the public interest; and 23
(d) Describe the types of sponsors and sponsorship agreements that are 24
acceptable and consistent with applicable state and federal law. 25
(7) A person or private entity that enters into a sponsorship agreement with the 26
cabinet shall pay the costs of: 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 897
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(a) Manufacturing and installing an acknowledgment sign; 1
(b) Placing a sponsorship message on a sign or marker; and 2
(c) Removing all acknowledgment signs, messages, and markers after th e 3
expiration or termination of the sponsorship agreement. 4
(8) An acknowledgment sign shall: 5
(a) Identify the sponsor as a sponsor of the welcome center or rest area and 6
include the name and logo of the sponsor; 7
(b) Not include, identify, or promote alcohol or tobacco products, adult -8
oriented establishments, political candidacies, political issue advocacy, or 9
political campaign advertising; 10
(c) Not resemble an official traffic control device; and 11
(d) Comply with federal outdoor advertising regulations in acc ordance with 23 12
U.S.C. sec. 131. 13