CCFC members help put the kibosh on school billboards

By: David Monahan, CCFC Campaign Manager

Good news! On January 5, 2017, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder vetoed a bill which would have allowed digital billboards to go up on public school property, subjecting vulnerable children to bright commercial advertising. We applaud Governor Snyder for putting the welfare of children first! 

When we heard about Senate Bill 593, which would have allowed billboards on school property, we partnered with Scenic Michigan on a petition drive to oppose the measure. We were disappointed when the Michigan legislature passed the bill, but didn’t despair: We sent Governor Snyder the petition with signatures from 115 Michigan residents and a letter urging him to veto the bill. As we told the Governor, marketing does not belong on school grounds, where kids can’t turn it off and where products and services advertised appear to have the endorsement of the school or faculty. These billboards would have also posed a danger to children and their families by distracting passing drivers. 

Thanks to Scenic Michigan for their work on this issue, and to all of you who sent a message which was heard loudly and clearly in the Governor’s Office. This was a big victory for children in Michigan, and it sends an important message to other states that billboards don’t belong near schools!