Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_02-cv-03167/USCOURTS-cand-3_02-cv-03167-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 950
Nature of Suit: Constitutionality of State Statutes
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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States District C

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For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NANO MALDONADO,

Plaintiff,

 v.

WILL KEMPTON, in his capacity as

Director of the California Department of

Transportation,

Defendant.

 /

No. C 02-03167 CRB

ORDER

The Court granted plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment and enjoined defendant

from enforcing the California Outdoor Advertising Act (“COAA”) to prohibit noncommercial speech where the Act permits commercial speech. The Court also expressed its

concern that unless and until the State amends COAA to comply with the First Amendment,

the Act will continue to have a chilling effect on the exercise of the constitutional right to

free speech. The Court therefore directed the parties to propose methods for addressing this

concern.

In its Joint Case Management Conference Statement dated April 3, 2006, the State

agreed to perform the following:

1. Notice to Permit Holders: Send a letter to all persons or companies holding

outdoor advertising permits in California explaining that noncommercial copy 

Case 3:02-cv-03167-CRB Document 108 Filed 04/10/06 Page 1 of 3
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can be placed on any legal outdoor advertising display.

2. Notice to Private Associations: Send a copy of that letter to organizations that

deal with sign owners that do not have Caltrans permits and ask them to notify

their members/sign owners: League of California Cities, County Supervisors

Association, California State Outdoor Advertising Association, California

Electric Sign Association, California State Outdoor Advertising Association,

California Electric Sign Association, and the State Chamber of Commerce.

3. Web-Site Publication: Post notice of the decision o[n] the Outdoor Advertising

section of Caltrans Web Page (and, if possible, include a link to the Court’s

opinion).

4. Regulatory Amendment: Amend the existing state regulations: probably by

adopting a new regulation to the effect that: “Nothing in the Outdoor

Advertising Act nor these regulations prohibits any person from placing any

noncommercial copy on any legal outdoor advertising display.”

5. Notice to Mr. Maldonado: In the event that the Department seeks in the future

to enforce the State court injunction against Mr. Maldonado for contempt that

the Department shall attach a copy of this Court’s decision to any subsequent

order to show cause.

6. Statutory Amendment: The Department will seek to find a Legislative sponsor

to carry a bill whose language satisfies the Court’s order respecting

noncommercial displays.

April 3, 2006 Joint Case Management Conference Statement at 4.

The State’s proposal addresses the Court’s concerns. Accordingly, the State shall

submit a declaration within 30 days of the date of this Order updating the Court on the status

of its compliance with the above proposal.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 11, 2006 

 

CHARLES R. BREYER

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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