1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to tourism; requiring official highway signs
1.3 	showing place names of Native American derivation to
1.4 	provide meaning in English; making technical change;
1.5 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 173.02,
1.6 	subdivision 6; 173.025.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 173.02,
1.9 	subdivision 6, is amended to read:
1.10 		Subd. 6.Various signs and notices defined.  Directional
1.11 	and other official signs and notices shall mean:
1.12 	(a) "Official signs and notices" mean signs and notices
1.13 	erected and maintained by public officers or public agencies
1.14 	within their territorial jurisdiction and pursuant to and in
1.15 	accordance with direction or authorization contained in federal
1.16 	or state law for the purposes of carrying out an official duty
1.17 	or responsibility.  Historical markers authorized by state law
1.18 	and erected by state or local governmental agencies or nonprofit
1.19 	historical societies, star city and star county signs erected
1.20 	under section 173.085, and municipal identification entrance
1.21 	signs erected in accordance with section 173.025 may be
1.22 	considered official signs.
1.23 	(b) "Public utility signs" mean warning signs, notices, or
1.24 	markers which are customarily erected and maintained by publicly
1.25 	or privately owned public utilities, as essential to their
1.26 	operations.
2.1 	(c) "Service club and religious notices" mean signs and
2.2 	notices, not exceeding eight square feet in advertising area,
2.3 	whose erection is authorized by law, relating to meetings and
2.4 	location of nonprofit service clubs or charitable associations,
2.5 	or religious services.
2.6 	(d) "Directional signs" means signs containing directional
2.7 	information about public places owned or operated by public
2.8 	authorities as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 23,
2.9 	section 460.2, paragraph (b), or their agencies, publicly or
2.10 	privately owned natural phenomena, historic, cultural,
2.11 	scientific, educational, and religious sites, and areas of
2.12 	natural scenic beauty or naturally suited for outdoor
2.13 	recreation, deemed to be in the interest of the traveling
2.14 	public.  To qualify for directional signs, privately owned
2.15 	attractions must be nationally or regionally known, and of
2.16 	outstanding interest to the traveling public.
2.17 	(e) All definitions in this subdivision are intended to be
2.18 	in conformity with the national standards for directional and
2.19 	other official signs.

2.20 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 173.025, is
2.21 	amended to read:
2.22 	173.025  MUNICIPAL PLACE IDENTIFICATION SIGN.
2.23 	(a) A local road authority may shall erect a municipal
2.24 	identification entrance sign within the right-of-way of a trunk
2.25 	highway, but only with the written permission of the
2.26 	commissioner.  Municipal identification entrance signs erected
2.27 	without the written permission of the commissioner are
2.28 	prohibited.
2.29 	(b) When financing is made available from private donations
2.30 	or funds allocated for tourism, a road authority shall ensure
2.31 	that an official notice or sign described in section 173.02,
2.32 	subdivision 6, paragraph (a), that designates a place having a
2.33 	name of Native American derivation, or an accompanying sign,
2.34 	show its English synonym or provide a short translation or
2.35 	description of its meaning in English.  This paragraph applies
2.36 	to signs installed or replaced after July 31, 2005.