BILL NUMBER: S59
SPONSOR: GALLIVAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the highway law, in relation to creating a state trooper
highway memorial task force
 
PURPOSE:
To create a State Trooper Highway Memorial Task Force to honor those
troopers who have given their lives in the line of duty.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 describes the legislative intent of the bill.
Section 2 amends the highway law to add section 340-e, which creates the
State Trooper Highway Memorial Task Force and provides the Task Force
with the honor of establishing guidelines for how state troopers who
have given their lives in the line of duty should be memorialized.
Section 3 establishes that the Commissioner of Transportation is respon-
sible for the installation and maintenance of memorial signs and that
such designation will not alter the official name of the highway.
Section 4 sets an immediate effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation will recognize the importance of the state police who
have nobly sacrificed their lives for the people of this State. The
recognition which shall be bestowed by this Task Force will be a daily
reminder for those traveling along a state highway of their friends,
family, and neighbors who have proudly served in our state police force
and will show appreciation for those who have fallen in the line of
duty.
Furthermore, the mission of the State Trooper Highway Memorial Task
Force will be to develop and establish guidelines for recognition of
members of the Division of State Police who have died in the line of
duty while providing an organizational method by which these memorials
are created. By including the Commissioner of Transportation or his or
her designee and the Superintendent of State Police on the Task Force to
approve such requests, a safe and effective method with consideration to
traffic flow will be established as to where memorials are placed.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S.34 Referred to Transportation
2021-22: S.1718/A.8633 Referred to Transportation/Referred to Transpor-
tation
2019-20: S.535 Referred to Transportation
2017-18: S.1980/A.6944 Passed Senate/Referred to Transportation
2015-16: S.437/A.4187 Passed Senate/Referred to Transportation
2013-14: S.6719/A.8847 Referred to Transportation/Referred to Transpor-
tation
2011-12: S.698/A.1105 Passed Senate/Referred to Transportation
2009-10: A.3183 Referred to Transportation
2008: S.7159/A.10429 Passed Senate/Referred to Transportation
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Nominal cost to the state for signs. However, such memorials currently
exist throughout the state and new ones continue to be designated each
year through individual legislative bills. Those bills state that the
Commissioner of Transportation shall provide further installation and
maintenance of adequate signage of the state highway system as desig-
nated by law.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.