Relates to renaming the bridges of the state highway system after New York state's medal of honor recipients.

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S2527-2013 Actions

• Jan 18, 2013: REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION

S2527-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S2527

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the highway law, in relation to renaming the bridges of the
state highway system after New York state's medal of honor recipients

PURPOSE:
To honor New York's medal of honor recipients by ceremoniously naming
our state highway bridges for them.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 10 of the highway law to put in place a plan
to ceremoniously rename the state's highway bridges after its medal
of honor recipients.

Section 2 provides the effective date the legislation.

JUSTIFICATION:
The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an
enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the
Armed Services of the United States. The Medal is usually presented
to its recipient by the President of the United States of America in
the name of Congress.

One in five Medal of Honor recipients are New Yorkers.

Among them, the only woman ever to receive the Medal, Dr. Mary Walker
of Oswego, a Civil War surgeon and spy; "Wild Bill" Donovan, the
"father" of our modern CIA; Teddy Roosevelt Jr,, son of the
President, for his service in WWII and, recently, Jason Dunham of
Seio, in Iraq.

Recognizing these defenders of liberty and freedom through such a
"Heroes Highways" initiative is especially fitting in a state that is
home to one of America's largest military installations, the post at
Fort Drum, the most deployed unit in the US Army that, itself, gave
our nation at least two recipients.

This bill directs the Department of Transportation to designate state
highway bridges to honor the 663 recipients of the Medal of Honor
from New York.

This is a low cost way to further honor some of our most distinguished
community members by ceremoniously changing the names of our state
bridges on a timetable that takes into account existing signage needing
replacement.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S.7208 of 2012 - referred to transportation

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal. Bridge signs containing the name of medal of honor recipients
will be installed taking into consideration existing signs that are
in need of replacement.


LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately.

S2527-2013 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    2527

                         2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                              January 18, 2013
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sens.  RITCHIE,  BOYLE,  DeFRANCISCO,  HASSELL-THOMPSON,
    LARKIN, LAVALLE, LIBOUS, MARCHIONE, MAZIARZ, SEWARD -- read twice  and
    ordered  printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on
    Transportation

  AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to renaming the bridges  of
    the state highway system after New York state's medal of honor recipi-
    ents

    THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. Section 10 of the highway law is amended by  adding  a  new
  subdivision 47 to read as follows:

    47.  CREATE  AND  IMPLEMENT  A PLAN TO RENAME THE BRIDGES OF THE STATE
  HIGHWAY SYSTEM AFTER NEW YORK STATE'S MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS.    SUCH
  PLAN SHALL (A) REQUIRE THAT THE BRIDGES TO BE RENAMED BE AS CLOSE TO THE
  RECIPIENTS'  HOMES  AS FEASIBLE AND (B) PROVIDE FOR THE INSTALLATION AND
  MAINTENANCE OF ADEQUATE SIGNAGE PURSUANT TO A SCHEDULE FOR THE PLACEMENT
  OF SIGNS TO BE ESTABLISHED CONSIDERING EXISTING SIGNS THAT NEED  REPLAC-
  ING. HOWEVER, TO AVOID CONFUSION AND TO LIMIT ANY POSSIBLE DISRUPTION OF
  COMMERCE,  THE DESIGNATION CALLED FOR PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL
  BE ONE OF CEREMONIAL NATURE AND THE OFFICIAL NAME OF SUCH  BRIDGE  SHALL
  NOT BE CHANGED AS A RESULT OF THIS ACT.
    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.




   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD06544-01-3