It's that time of year again. As you drive through Johnson County you will start seeing political yard signs where people have displayed who they are planning to support in May and/or November. However, unlike last year, you might be seeing more yard signs in our local neighborhoods. Senate Enrolled Act 64 was passed this year to prohibit any homeowners association from adopting or enforcing certain restrictive rules concerning the display of political signs. The bill passed with unanimous support in both chambers and was signed by the Gov. Mitch Daniels on March 12. Since the passage of the legislation, I have received many calls and emails from constituents who have been contacting me with questions regarding this bill. So I wanted to take the time to explain the new legislation that takes effect July 1, 2010. Even though homeowners associations can't prohibit political signs from being displayed, the law does allow them to restrict the size, location and amount of signs displayed. You need to contact your association to see what their restrictions are before displaying any yard signs. As a state legislator who makes a living as a realtor, I can't emphasize enough how you need to make sure to follow the rules laid out by your homeowners association, but you also need to know your rights. Keep in mind, homeowner's associations cannot restrict you from displaying a yard sign on your property or in the window of your home. The overall point of this legislation was to ensure you have the right to voice your opinion-whether that be through a certain individual or political group. However, since the law does not take effect July 1, some neighborhood associations may not allow you to display yard signs for the May primary. If you have any questions or need to contact me for any reason, please feel free. I look forward to reading your input and hearing your thoughts. You can e-mail me at H58@in.gov , call 317-232-9620 or call toll free1-800-382-9841.
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