BILL NUMBER: S9057
SPONSOR: BASKIN
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the highway law, in relation to dedicating a portion of
the state and county highway system to the Harriet Tubman Underground
Railroad Byway
 
PURPOSE:
The objective of this legislation is to honor the historic journeys of
Freedom Seekers including Harriet Tubman and other Formerly Enslaved
Africans by dedicating a portion of the state and highway county system
to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railway Byway.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 outlines the portions of the state and county highway system
that will be dedicated to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway.
Section 2 establishes the commissioner of transportation to provide for
the installation and maintenance of signage on the state highway system
for the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway.
Section 3 establishes that the act shall take effect immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, the Scenic Byways in the states of Maryland, Delaware, and
Pennsylvania have been officially designated at both the State and
National Levels as recognizing the importance of the Underground Rail-
road.
At present, New York State does not have an officially designated byway.
Under existing law, the historic journeys of Freedom Seekers including
Harriet Tubman and other Formerly Enslaved Africans who traveled the
Underground Railroad are not formally recognized through a statewide
Scenic Byway designation.
This bill recognizes the historic journeys of Freedom Seekers including
Harriet Tubman and other Formerly Enslaved Africans who traveled on the
Underground Railroad are vital to the history of African Americans.
In fact, a designated Scenic Byway focusing on the on central themes of
African American history could draw hundreds of thousands if not over a
million visitors and their spending power to communities, sites, and
businesses along the route for significant potential increased tourism,
direct spending, annual economic benefit and investment into communities
of color and businesses owned by people of color.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal The Commissioner of Transportation shall provide for the instal-
lation and maintenance of adequate signage to state "Harriet Tubman
Underground Railroad Byway".
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.