SB359 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Gerald H. AllenSenator
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Highways, outdoor advertising, Highway Beautification Act amended, definitions, spacing, conformance with federal law, Secs. 23-1-271, 23-1-274 am'd.
Summary: SB359 updates Alabama’s outdoor advertising rules to match federal definitions and spacing standards for signs along federally funded highways.
What This Bill Does
It changes how 'business area' is defined by removing the phrase 'at any time', effectively limiting business areas to current zoning or expressly unzoned commercial/industrial areas. It adopts the federal definition of 'primary highway' for outdoor advertising control, aligning Alabama with federal highway classifications. It revises the spacing rules for outdoor signs to be consistent with the Federal-State Agreement, outlining minimum distances between signs on interstates and primary highways and addressing locations near interchanges, rest areas, and urban areas. It keeps existing rules on sign size and lighting and takes effect immediately.

Who It Affects
Outdoor advertising businesses and sign owners/operators, who must modify signs and spacing to comply with the new definitions and distances.
Local governments and property owners near highways in business areas, whose land-use decisions and signage will be affected by the new 'business area' definition and spacing rules.

Key Provisions
Definition changes: Redefines 'business area' by removing 'at any time', narrowing which areas count for advertising control.
Federal alignment: Adopts the federal definition of 'primary highway' for determining which highways are regulated.
Spacing rules: Updates sign spacing to match the Federal-State Agreement, including minimum distances between signs on interstates/freeways and primary highways, with different rules for interchanges, rest areas, and urban versus rural areas; distinguishes pre- and post-1995 signs.
Miscellaneous: Maintains existing size and lighting standards for signs and states the act is effective immediately and severable.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Highways, Roads, and Bridges