Coalition Helps to Change Law for Sign Companies
State officials recently heard testimony in support of a bill that would exempt sign companies from requiring licensed electrical contractors to install and maintain signs and light fixtures.
Last year state officials agreed to exempt sign companies from the law that was scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2014, but the language was not clear and could have easily had different interpretations by different administrations. If this law is not changed, another administration could interpret this law differently and require sign companies to hire licensed electricians to perform routine sign maintenance and sign installation. Also the existing law could require licensed electricians to perform routine maintenance on light fixtures, which would include externally illuminated signs and parking lot lighting.
The proposed legislation, Bill AB683 was discussed at a Joint Committee on Labor meeting with legislators in the state of Wisconsin. Representatives from ISA, the Wisconsin Sign Association (WSA) and RLO Sign, Inc. testified in support of the legislation. A large coalition of commercial real estate, building owners and shopping center organizations also rallied in support of the bill.
ISA, WSA and the coalition have been working over the last 10 months with elected officials to amend this bill so it clearly exempts not only signs from this law, but also the repair of light fixtures.
For more information, contact ISA’s James Carpentier.
