Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 292 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Teuscher, Jordan D.

Final action

House/ filed 3/7/2025

Outcome

Failed / filed without passage

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines a term;
• for a political advertisement that is required to disclose certain campaign finance information, reduces the size dimensions of a lawn sign that is exempt from the disclosure requirement;
• prohibits a person from:
• attaching a political sign to a utility pole, light pole, an electric utility box, or any road sign; or
• affixing an object to a political sign to block, conceal, or misrepresent the message or image on a political sign;
• creates a criminal offense for a person who engages in the conduct described above;
• creates an exception to the criminal offense described above for a government employee who removes a political sign in accordance with the government employee's duties;
• specifies that a person does not commit a criminal offense related to a political sign if the person:
• removes an object described above;
• removes a lawn sign described above; or
• removes a political sign attached to a utility pole, light pole, an electric utility box, or road sign; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

7
20A-11-901
20A-17-102
20A-17-103
Political Signs Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Jordan D. Teuscher
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions related to political signs.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
defines a term;
for a political advertisement that is required to disclose certain information, reduces the 
size dimensions of a lawn sign that is exempt from the disclosure requirement;
prohibits a person from:
attaching a political sign to a utility pole, light pole, an electric utility box, or any road 
sign; or 
using any object to block, conceal, or misrepresent the message or image on a political 
sign;
creates a criminal offense for a person who engages in the conduct described above;
specifies that a person does not commit a criminal offense related to a political sign if the 
person:
removes an object described above; 
removes a lawn sign described above; or
removes a political sign attached to a utility pole, light pole, electric utility box, or 
road sign; and
makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
20A-11-901
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapter 18
20A-17-102
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 238
20A-17-103
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 15
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
20A-11-901
 is amended to read:
20A-11-901. Political advertisements -- Requirement that ads designate 
responsibility and authorization -- Report to lieutenant governor -- Unauthorized use of 
endorsements.
(1)
(a)
Whenever any person makes an expenditure for the purpose of financing an 
advertisement expressly advocating for the election or defeat of a clearly identified 
candidate, or solicits any contribution through any broadcasting station, newspaper, 
magazine, outdoor advertising facility, direct mailing, or any other type of general public 
political advertising, the advertisement:
(i)
(a)
if paid for and authorized by a candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, 
shall clearly state that the advertisement has been paid for by the candidate or the 
campaign committee;
(ii)
(b)
if paid for by another person but authorized by a candidate or the candidate's 
campaign committee, shall clearly state who paid for the advertisement and that the 
candidate or the campaign committee authorized the advertisement; or
(iii)
(c)
if not authorized by a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee, shall 
clearly state the name of the person who paid for the advertisement and state that the 
advertisement is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
(2)
(a)
A person that makes an expenditure for the purpose of financing an advertisement 
related to a ballot proposition shall ensure that the advertisement complies with 
Subsection 
(2)(b)
 if the advertisement expressly advocates:
(i)
for placing a ballot proposition on the ballot;
(ii)
for keeping a ballot proposition off the ballot;
(iii)
that a voter refrain from voting on a ballot proposition; or
(iv)
that a voter vote for or against a ballot proposition.
(b)
An advertisement described in Subsection 
(2)(a)
 shall:
(i)
if paid for by a political issues committee, clearly state that the advertisement was 
paid for by the political issues committee;
(ii)
if paid for by another person but authorized by a political issues committee, 
clearly state who paid for the advertisement and that the political issues committee 
authorized the advertisement; or
(iii)
if not authorized by a political issues committee, clearly state the name of the 
person who paid for the advertisement and state that the advertisement is not 
authorized by any political issues committee.
(3)
The requirements of Subsections 
(1)
 and 
(2)
 do not apply to:
(a)
lawn signs with dimensions of 
four by eight feet
24 by 18 inches
 or smaller;
(b)
bumper stickers;
(c)
campaign pins, buttons, and pens; or
(d)
similar small items upon which the disclaimer cannot be conveniently printed.
(4)
(a)
A person who is not a reporting entity and pays for an electioneering 
communication shall file a report with the lieutenant governor within 24 hours of 
making the payment or entering into a contract to make the payment.
(b)
The report shall include:
(i)
the name and address of the person described in Subsection 
(4)(a)
;
(ii)
the name and address of each person contributing at least $100 to the person 
described in Subsection 
(4)(a)
 for the purpose of disseminating the electioneering 
communication;
(iii)
the amount spent on the electioneering communication;
(iv)
the name of the identified referenced candidate; and
(v)
the medium used to disseminate the electioneering communication.
(5)
A person may not, in order to promote the success of any candidate for nomination or 
election to any public office, or in connection with any question submitted to the voters, 
include or cause to be included the name of any person as endorser or supporter in any 
political advertisement, circular, poster, or publication without the express consent of 
that person.
(6)
(a)
It is unlawful for a person to pay the owner, editor, publisher, or agent of any 
newspaper or other periodical to induce the owner, editor, publisher, or agent to 
advocate or oppose editorially any candidate for nomination or election.
(b)
It is unlawful for any owner, editor, publisher, or agent to accept any payment to 
advocate or oppose editorially any candidate for nomination or election.
Section 2, Section 
20A-17-102
 is amended to read:
20A-17-102. Political signs.
(1)
Except as provided in Subsection 
(2)
, a person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if the 
person knowingly removes, alters, defaces, or otherwise vandalizes a sign:
(a)
advocating the election or defeat of a candidate for public office; or
(b)
advocating the approval or defeat of a ballot proposition.
(1)
As used in this section, "political sign" means any sign or document that advocates:
(a)
the election or defeat of a candidate for public office; or
(b)
the approval or defeat of a ballot proposition.
(2)
Except as provided in Subsection 
(4)
, a person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if the 
person knowingly:
(a)
removes, alters, defaces, or otherwise vandalizes a political sign; or
(b)
(i)
(A)
attaches or affixes any object to a political sign, including another 
political sign; or
(B)
places any object adjacent to a political sign, including another political sign; 
and
(ii)
(A)
the object hides, blocks, obscures, or otherwise substantially conceals from 
view the message or image on the political sign; or
(B)
the object changes or misrepresents the intent of the message on the political 
sign.
(3)
Except as provided in Subsection 
(4)
, a person is guilty of a class C misdemeanor if the 
person knowingly attaches or affixes a political sign to a utility pole, light pole, an 
electric utility box, or any road sign.
(2)
(4)
(a)
A person is not guilty of a violation of Subsection 
(1)
(2)
 if the person who 
engages in the conduct described in Subsection 
(1)
(2)
 is:
(a)
(i)
as it relates to a 
political 
sign described in Subsection 
(1)(a)
, the candidate 
who placed the political sign, the candidate who directed the placement of the 
political sign, 
or an agent of the candidate;
(b)
(ii)
as it relates to a 
political 
sign described in Subsection 
(1)(b)
, the person who 
placed the 
political 
sign, the person who directed the placement of the 
political 
sign, or an agent of either;
(c)
(iii)
a property owner of property on which the 
political 
sign is placed or the 
property owner's agent; or
(d)
(iv)
a public official who removes the sign in accordance with an official duty of 
the public official.
(b)
Notwithstanding Subsections 
(2)
 and (3), any person may:
(i)
remove a political sign that is a lawn sign described in Subsection 
20A-11-901(3)(a)
;
(ii)
in response to another person engaging in the conduct described in Subsection 
(2)(b)
, remove the object that:
(A)
is attached or affixed to the political sign; or
(B)
is adjacent to the political sign; or
(iii)
in response to another person engaging in the conduct described in Subsection 
(3)
, 
remove the political sign that is attached or affixed to a utility pole, light pole, an 
electric utility box, or a road sign.
Section 3, Section 
20A-17-103
 is amended to read:
20A-17-103. Posting political signs on public property.
(1)
As used in this section:
(a)
"Local government entity" means:
(i)
a county, municipality, or other political subdivision;
(ii)
a special district, as defined in Section 
17B-1-102
;
(iii)
a special service district, as defined in Section 
17D-1-102
;
(iv)
a local building authority, as defined in Section 
17D-2-102
;
(v)
a conservation district, as defined in Section 
17D-3-102
;
(vi)
an independent entity, as defined in Section 
63E-1-102
;
(vii)
a public corporation, as defined in Section 
63E-1-102
;
(viii)
a public transit district, organized under 
Title 17B, Chapter 2a, Part 8, Public 
Transit District Act
;
(ix)
a school district;
(x)
a public school, including a charter school or other publicly funded school;
(xi)
a state institution of higher education;
(xii)
an entity that expends public funds; and
(xiii)
each office, agency, or other division of an entity described in Subsections 
(1)(a)(i)
 through 
(xii)
.
(b)
"Political sign" means the same as that term is defined in Section 
20A-17-102
.
(b)
"Political sign" means any sign or document that advocates:
(i)
the election or defeat of a candidate for public office; or
(ii)
the approval or defeat of a ballot proposition.
(c)
(i)
"Public property" means any real property, building, or structure owned or 
leased by a local government entity.
(ii)
"Public property" does not include any real property, building, or structure during 
a period of time that the real property, building, or structure is rented out by a 
government entity to a private party for a meeting, convention, or similar event.
(2)
A local government entity, a local government officer, a local government employee, or 
another person with authority or control over public property that posts or permits a 
person to post a political sign on public property:
(a)
shall permit any other person to post a political sign on the public property, subject to 
the same requirements and restrictions imposed on all other political signs permitted 
to be posted on the public property; and
(b)
may not impose a requirement or restriction on the posting of a political sign if the 
requirement or restriction is not politically neutral and content neutral.
Section 4. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
1-21-25 11:12 AM