Sponsored by:
Senator PARKER SPACE
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
Senator GORDON M. JOHNSON
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Renames Blue Star Memorial Highway Council as Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway Council; renames Blue Star Memorial Highway system as Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the Blue Star Memorial Highway Council and the Blue Star Memorial Highway system, amending P.L.1999, c.120, and supplementing Title 27 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1999, c.120 (C.27:1A-5.16) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. The Legislature finds that the Blue Star Memorial Highway Council, renamed by P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) as the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway Council, was created by Joint Resolution No. 13, approved October 6, 1948, to plan for and advise the State Highway Department, now the Department of Transportation, concerning the development of the landscaping, arboreal ornamentation, and incidental facilities of the Blue Star Memorial Highway system, renamed by P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) as the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system. The New Jersey Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the Garden Club of New Jersey, landscapes, plants, and maintains the roadsides of Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highways. These highways serve as living memorials in tribute to the men and women of New Jersey who have served in the armed forces.
Therefore, the Legislature declares that the time has come to incorporate the council within the permanent statutes, update the membership of the [Council] council to reflect current State department designations, and include an officer or employee of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs as a member of the council in place of an officer and employee of the Department of Health.
b. There is hereby established in the Department of Transportation a Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway Council that shall consist of seven members, each of whom shall be appointed by the Governor.
One of the members shall be designated by the Governor from the officers and employees of the Department of Transportation, one from among the officers and employees of the Department of Environmental Protection, and one from among the officers and employees of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, each of whom shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
The remaining four members of the council shall be appointed by the Governor from among the persons recommended to the Governor for appointment to the council by the Garden Club of New Jersey, each of whom shall serve for a period of four years and until his or her successor is appointed and has qualified, and each of whom shall be eligible for reappointment to membership of the council.
c. The Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway Council shall plan for and advise the Department of Transportation concerning the development of the landscaping, arboreal ornamentation, and incidental facilities of the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system.
(cf: P.L.1999, c.120, s.1)
2. (New section) Within 90 days of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Department of Transportation shall update all signage throughout the State concerning the Blue Star Memorial Highway system to reflect the highway systems updated name, the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill renames the Blue Star Memorial Highway Council as the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway Council and the Blue Star Memorial Highway system as the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system to recognize Gold Star families. Gold Star families are immediate relatives of members of the United States Armed Forces who have been killed in combat or in support of certain military activities. The bill also requires the Department of Transportation, within 90 days of the bills effective date, to update all signage throughout the State concerning the Blue Star Memorial Highway system to reflect the highway systems updated name, the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system.