Joint budget committee. Under current law, the department of transportation (department) administers business and tourist-oriented directional sign programs (sign programs). As part of the sign programs, the department may: Erect, administer, and maintain signs within highway rights-of-way and issue permits for business signs to be installed on those signs; and Issue permits and adopt rules for the erection, administration, and maintenance of tourist-oriented directional signs. The bill creates the Colorado roadside improvement and outdoor recreational industry promotional enterprise (enterprise) and allows the department to contract with the enterprise to implement all or part of the sign programs. In addition to implementing the sign programs, the enterprise assists in maintaining rest areas and administers the outdoor recreational industry promotional grant program. To finance these purposes, the enterprise may impose a fee on persons who participate in the sign programs. The fee must be collected at rates that are reasonably calculated based on the fair market value of the costs of implementing, modernizing, improving, and maintaining the sign programs and inflation. In maintaining rest areas, the enterprise may work with the department, other state agencies, local governments, or private entities as necessary to assist in modernizing rest areas and in the maintenance of roadside in Colorado and reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness within state public rights-of-way. In administering the outdoor recreational industry promotional grant program, the enterprise shall collaborate with the Colorado outdoor recreation industry office to administer the grant program and award grants for promoting the outdoor recreational industry. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
