Senate Bill S3509

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S3509

SPONSOR: WEIK
 
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 recipi-
ents

 
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 by adding a new subdivi-
sion 47 implementing 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 in the name of Congress. New York has the
distinction of being home to 663 MOH recipients-more than any state, and
about 1 out of 5 of all Medal of Honor. Among the New York recipients
are the only woman ever to receive the Medal, Dr. Mary Walker of Oswego,
a Civil War surgeon and spy, and one of the first African-American
recipients, U.S. navy sailor Joachim Pease, a Long Islander who served
during the Civil War.

Other New Yorkers include Theodore Roosevelt, both Sr. and Jr.; "Wild
Bill" Donovan, the "father" of our modern CIA; as well as three of the
most recent recipients, U.S. Marine Corporal Jason Lee Dunham of Scio,
U.S. Army Staff Sergeant David Ballavia of Elmira, and U.S.  Navy Lt.
Michael P. Murphy of Patchogue.

Recognizing these defenders of liberty and freedom through a "Heroes
Highways" initiative is especially fitting in our state. New York is
home to one of America's largest military installations, the post at
Fort Drum and is also home to the most deployed unit in the US Army.
That dedicated unit has at least two Medal of Honor recipients to date.

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 pursuant to a schedule that considers the necessary replacement
of existing signs. This is a low cost way to identify and commemorate
some of out most distinguished community members. By ceremoniously
changing the names of our state bridges on a timetable that takes into
account existing signage needing replacement we may achieve the objec-
tive of being financially responsible while honoring our nation's great-
est veterans.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023: 52244 Transportation

2022: S8873 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.