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An Act To Allow the Placement of Road Signs Advertising Events That Benefit Certain Organizations and Allow Free Admission to Military Personnel
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  this legislation allows philanthropic and other similar organizations to erect signs in the public right-of-way announcing certain fund-raising events; and
Whereas,  some fund-raising events that benefit these organizations are held in late spring and early summer; and
Whereas,  the 90-day period may expire after these fund-raising events are held; and
Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 23 MRSA §1913-A, sub-§1, ¶¶J and K, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 529, §8, are amended to read:
 
J. Signs erected by a producer that direct travelers to the location where farm and food products, as defined in Title 7, section 415, subsection 1, paragraph B, are grown, produced and sold. A producer that sells farm and food products from a location with frontage on a numbered state highway may not erect a sign pursuant to this paragraph adjacent to that highway. A sign must be directional in nature, may not exceed 8 square feet in size and must be located within 5 miles of where the farm and food product is sold. A producer may not erect more than 4 signs pursuant to this paragraph, and the total number of signs erected by that producer pursuant to this paragraph and section 1911, subsection 2 may not exceed 6; and
 
K. Signs erected for a farmers' market, as defined in Title 7, section 415, subsection 1, paragraph A, as long as the signs are directional in nature. A farmers' market may not erect more than 4 signs pursuant to this paragraph, and the total number of signs erected by that farmers' market pursuant to this paragraph and section 1911, subsection 2 may not exceed 6. A farmers' market may erect a banner over a public way if the farmers' market obtains municipal approval and complies with rules adopted pursuant to this chapter.; and
Sec. 2. 23 MRSA §1913-A, sub-§1, ¶L is enacted to read:
 
L.  Signs erected by a public, civic, philanthropic, charitable or religious organization announcing a fund-raising event for that organization at which active and retired military personnel and the families of military personnel are permitted entry free of charge.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
 
SUMMARY
This bill allows a public, civic, philanthropic, charitable or religious organization to erect signs in the public right-of-way that announce a fund-raising event for that organization at which military personnel, active and retired, and the families of military personnel are permitted entry free of charge.