Conflict over Haysville’s rules for campaign signs

Saturday, Sept. 22, marked 45 days until Tuesday, Nov. 6: Election Day.

A state law the Kansas Legislature passed in 2015 says that cities and counties, including Haysville, now have to allow political signs on both private property and unpaved city or county right-of-way.

That is a straightforward enough requirement, but just two weeks after the Kansas law, KSA 25-2711, was signed by Gov. Sam Brownback in June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling that cast doubt on its constitutionality.

The ruling, in “Reed v. Town of Gilbert,” held that municipalities can apply “content-based restrictions” – restrictions based on what a sign says – only in very limited situations.

In a statement, Haysville’s city attorney said the city’s position is that the Supreme Court ruling made the Kansas law unenforceable.

(Read more: Times-Sentinel Newspapers » Feed)