Enact the No Free Advertising for Politicians Act

136th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Tex Fischer and 1 co-sponsor

Prohibits displaying a public official’s personal name or likeness on government signs or markings funded with public money, allowing only titles and legally authorized name/likene

Referred to committee

#campaignfinance #elections #ethics #publicofficialsandemployees #stateandlocalgovernment

Summary of HB 938 (136th General Assembly – Ohio)

Purpose and intent

Establishes the No Free Advertising for Politicians Act.

The core objective is to prohibit certain government signs from displaying a public official’s personal name or likeness, thereby limiting unofficial or “free” advertising for current public officials.

Key provisions and changes

Prohibition on display of public official name or likeness on specified government signs or markings when funded with public funds:

Applies to:
Road signs, billboards, or other outdoor markers.
Signs, stickers, or decals on the exterior of buildings, outdoor fixtures, or exterior of vehicles.

Definitions:

“Public official” means someone elected or appointed to state or political subdivision office.
“Transaction” has the same meaning as in Ohio Revised Code section 1315.51 (consumer-like financial transactions), linking the act to public funds transactions.

Exceptions:

Items may display a public official’s title or position only (not the personal name or likeness).
Items may include a public official’s personal name or likeness only if specifically authorized by law.

Penalties:

Violations are punishable as provided in section 3599.40 of the Revised Code (the act does not specify penalties in this bill itself; it delegates to existing enforcement or penalty provisions in 3599.40).

Implementation and timelines:

Agencies or offices that oversee existing items described in the prohibited categories must remove or modify those items “as soon as practicable” after the act’s effective date.
If an outdoor item already has a legally required approval or security seal placed before the act’s effective date, that seal remains until its expiration; once the seal expires and is replaced, the 9.031 requirements apply to the replacement seal/item.

Who/what would be affected

Government signs and outdoor displays funded or maintained by state or political subdivision authorities that currently display a public official’s personal name or likeness.

Buildings, outdoor fixtures, and exterior vehicle signage or decals funded by public funds.

Items that would be modified or removed include road signs, billboards, outdoor markers, and exterior decals or stickers bearing a public official’s personal name or likeness.

Items displaying only the official’s title or position (without name or likeness) remain permissible.

Items with explicit legal authorization to include name/likeness remain permissible.

Procedural and timeline considerations

Post-enactment, affected agencies must assess and modify/remove items falling under the prohibited categories as soon as practicable.

Exceptions apply for legally required seals temporarily; replacements must comply with the act’s restrictions once the seal is updated.

General assessment

The bill aims to reduce or eliminate perceived “free advertising” for current public officials on government-branded surfaces.

It relies on existing enforcement mechanisms for penalties and outlines a straightforward compliance path for agencies, with practical timelines for remediation of existing signs.