,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #eaef  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,march #e1 #bjah,mr4 
,poe of ,texas 7for himself and ,mr4    
,cicilline7 introduced the following    
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,transportation and       
,infrastructure  ,a ,,bill  ,to protect 
publicly owned trees from unnecessary   
destruction1 maiming1 or alteration1 and
 for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title  
,this ,act may be cited as the ,protect 
,public ,trees ,act of #bjah4  #b4      
,prohibition ,section #aca of title #bc1
 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by   
adding at the end the following3  7u7   
,protection of publicly owned plants    
7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in 
paragraph 7#b71 an individual or entity 
7including a governmental entity7       
directly or indirectly may not modify1  
remove1 or pile materials about any     
tree1 plant1 or other vegetation that is
 partially or fully on a public         
right-of-way adjacent to a highway of   

the ,interstate ,system or the primary  
system if a purpose of such             
modification1 removal1 or piling of     
materials is to erect1 maintain1 repair1
 or improve the visibility 7including   
the future visibility7 of privately     
owned commercial outdoor advertising4   
7#b7 ,exception ,paragraph 7#a7 does not
 apply if a purpose of the modification1
 removal1 or piling of materials        
described in paragraph 7#a7 is to       
improve or maintain safety4  4