Utah Code § 20A-17-104 — Utah Code / Title 20A / Chapter 20A-17 / § 20A-17-104
§ 20A-17-104. Safeguarding and disposing of political signs -- County and municipal locations -- Reimbursement from sign owner.
Status: in_force

(1) Each county and each municipality shall designate one or more locations within the county or municipality where an individual who removes a political sign under Subsection 20A-17-102(3)(d) or (5)(d) may deposit the political sign for safekeeping or disposal in accordance with this section. (2) Subject to Subsection (3), and except as provided in Subsection (4), a county or municipality that receives a political sign at a location described in Subsection (1) shall: (a) safeguard the political sign; (b) use reasonable efforts to obtain contact information for the sign owner: (i) from the election officer for the election to which the political sign relates, if the sign owner is a candidate for public office or the candidate's personal campaign committee; (ii) from the lieutenant governor, if the sign owner is a filing entity other than a filing entity who is a candidate for public office or the candidate's personal campaign committee; or (iii) using any other lawful means available to the county or municipality; (c) make a reasonable attempt to contact the sign owner by telephone; and (d) notify the sign owner, either during a direct conversation or in a voicemail, that the sign owner has five business days after the date of the notice to take possession of the political sign. (3) If a sign owner receives the notice described in Subsection (2)(d) but does not take possession of the political sign by the deadline described in Subsection (2)(d), or, if a county or municipality is unable to contact a sign owner under Subsection (2)(c), the county or municipality may: (a) dispose of the political sign; and (b) seek reimbursement from the sign owner in accordance with Subsection (5) for the cost of safekeeping or disposing of the political sign, if, during the same election cycle: (i) the county or municipality has, on three or more previous occasions, received a political sign belonging to the same sign owner at a location described in Subsection (1); and (ii) on each occasion: (A) the sign owner did not take possession of the political sign after receiving the notice described in Subsection (2)(d); or (B) the county or municipality was unable to contact the sign owner under Subsection (2)(c). (4) A county or municipality that receives a political sign at a location described in Subsection (1) may dispose of the political sign if the county or municipality: (a) cannot identify the sign owner; or (b) cannot obtain contact information for the sign owner under Subsection (2)(b). (5) (a) A county or municipality that seeks reimbursement under Subsection (3)(b) shall mail a reimbursement notice to the sign owner using the contact information that the county or municipality obtains under Subsection (2)(b). (b) A reimbursement notice shall include: (i) the number of political signs safeguarded or disposed of by the county or municipality; (ii) subject to Subsection (5)(c), the reimbursement amount; and (iii) any other information deemed relevant by the county or municipality to obtain reimbursement for safeguarding or disposing of the political sign. (c) The reimbursement amount that a county or municipality may seek for a political sign deposited at a location described in Subsection (1) may not exceed $20 per deposit incident, regardless of the number of political signs belonging to the same sign owner that are included in that deposit. (6) (a) Subject to Subsection (6)(b), a sign owner that receives a reimbursement notice under Subsection (5) shall pay the amount specified in the notice no later than 30 calendar days after the day on which the reimbursement notice is received in the mail. (b) A county or municipality shall provide the sign owner a reasonable opportunity to establish, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the payment of reimbursement is not required. (7) A sign owner that receives a reimbursement notice under this section may use campaign funds to pay the reimbursement amount specified in the notice.