Latest news with #BureauofMotorVehicle
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Indiana Senate committee OKs marijuana billboard advertising ban
A truck outside of the Indiana Statehouse promotes legalized marijuana as a potential revenue source. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Tuesday discussion around a Bureau of Motor Vehicle (BMV) bill descended into impassioned debate over marijuana advertising, which Republican lawmakers said should be restricted. In contention was House Bill 1390, authored by Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie. The underlying legislation originally just dealt with BMV agency matters, like insurance verification, specialty license plates and registration stickers. But among multiple changes adopted by the Senate transportation committee on Tuesday — including a significant amendment addressing 'predatory' towing — was a ban on 'outdoor' marijuana advertising, notably on highway billboards. Specifically, the amended bill language seeks to prohibit outdoor advertisements for products containing marijuana or a variety of other controlled substances, including heroin, LSD and ecstasy. The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Pressel — whose district extends to Indiana's northern border — described 'billboards all over the place that say, 'Come to my store and buy this,'' referencing dispensaries in Michigan, where recreational marijuana is legal. 'And we have trucks, mobile billboards, that drive around and sit in front of our parks. That's unacceptable, and it sends a mixed message to the consumer that this product is legal in Indiana, which it is not,' Pressel said, who unsuccessfully attempted to add the provision to a separate House bill earlier in the session. 'I think that's an unfair message,' he continued, 'and I believe that we should get in front of this to say that if it's an illegal substance, listed on our illegal substance list in the state of Indiana, you should not be able to advertise for that.' Multiple advertisers pushed back. Ron Breymier, executive director of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Indiana, cited First Amendment issues. He argued that policymakers can dictate the size and placement of billboards, but 'not the actual advertisement itself.' Phones and internet searches, Breymier said, are a 'greater threat' than billboards. Rather than a ban, he recommended a requirement for advertisers to include disclaimers on the billboards 'so citizens know that it's not legal to possess or consume' marijuana or other substances in Indiana. Jason Graham, vice president of Lamar Advertising, the state's largest billboard operator, wasn't opposed to regulation, but took issue with a ban 'that's directly targeted towards just one media.' 'If we feel this strongly … I don't think it should be just billboards,' he said. Pressel and other lawmakers said they'd be open to expanding the prohibition to other forms of advertising, too. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio lawmakers may expand use of IDs on cellphones
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — About seven months ago, Ohio joined a short list of states in allowing residents to have their ID on their phones. Since then, the use has been fairly limited so Ohio lawmakers are working to expand it with a bipartisan effort. 'I think it's a huge ease-of-use program for the state of Ohio,' Rep. Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township) said. Hall is one of the sponsors of House Bill 78. The legislation would allow Ohioans to use a valid digital ID instead of a physical ID card, in almost any case. The bill originally allowed Ohioans to use a digital ID for voting, but that was stripped from the bill Tuesday morning. ODOT introduces $2B road improvement project for U.S. 23 north of Columbus 'We want to make sure that the infrastructure is ready for that and secure for that,' Hall said. Under this bill, residents would be able to use a digital ID when they got pulled over, for any Bureau of Motor Vehicle purposes, or simply when an ID is asked for. Even though people would not need to have a physical ID on hand, they would still need to have one, even if it is locked away and never carried. 'If you want to have a valid credit card, you got to have a valid physical ID as well,' Hall said. 'You can still use a digital side of things, but you need to have that valid for security purposes.' The Ohio Department of Public Safety said, 'Ohio has worked to ensure that digital IDs are secure and convenient and would welcome more options for residents to use them.' Hall said it will help Ohioans in more than just day-to-day use. North Linden home shut down by officials after January homicide 'Ease of use, again, for the truck drivers to make it known that they can use a digital ID,' he said. But the Ohio Trucking Association said this bill will not be much of a game changer. Rep. Jack Daniels (R-New Franklin) owns a trucking company and agreed the digital ID is not what they are worried about. 'I don't care about the phone, that makes no difference to me,' Daniels said. 'I don't see why you need your ID on your phone. I just don't want to lose the enhanced ID.' Another of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst), said the intent is not to strip the state of enhanced ID usage. Either way, while enhanced IDs, which allow you to cross borders in a vehicle without a passport, are technically legal in the state, the federal government has still not extended its use to Ohio's IDs. The bill had its first hearing Tuesday, so it likely has a bit of time before passing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
