Senate Bill S8864

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8864

SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the highway law, in relation to the name of the bridge
dedicated to Detective Thomas M. Inman

 
PURPOSE:

To allow the department to include Detective Thomas M. Inman's middle
initial on bridge dedication signage

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends section 344-r of the highway law, as added by chapter
398 of the laws of 2025 to include Detective Thomas M.  Inman's middle
initial.

Section 2. States that the commissioner of transportation shall provide
for the installation and maintenance of adequate signing of the state
highway systems as designated pursuant to section 1 of this act. The
              

designation will be for ceremonial purposes only, and the official name
of the highway will not be changed as a result of this act.

Section 3. Is the enactment clause.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

On September 11, 2025, Governor Hochul signed S7366B/A7935, honoring
9/11 hero Thomas M. Inman, who died as a result of his service following
the terrorist attacks. The legislation calls for the naming of the Route
231 Bridge over the Southern State Parkway in North Babylon, in honor of
this September 11, 2001 responder. The decorated Port Authority Detec-
tive spent 15 months at Ground Zero and in the morgue, helping to
recover remains and bring closure to grieving families, later developing
terminal cancer directly tied to his response to the attack. However,
Detective Inman's family may not find the same sense of closure he
worked so tirelessly to give others, because the enacted legislation
omits his middle initial "M."  from the name to be used on dedication
signage the Department of Transportation is to put in place.

This bill corrects the omission of Detective Thomas M. Inman's middle
initial from the legislation passed and signed in 2025 to help the fami-
ly, including his wife of more than 50 years, avoid the heartache of
seeing Detective Inman's memorial dedication not fully reflect his life,
service, and sacrifice. It is important we pass this legislation so the
bridge dedication signage is corrected to include the initial originally
omitted.

Thomas Inman is survived by his beloved wife and best friend of 50 years
Diane, 9 nieces and nephews, 10 great nieces and nephews, 3 great great
nieces and nephews, as well as many friends and colleagues.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.