SESSION OF 2021
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 26
As Amended by House Committee on
Transportation

Brief*
House Sub. for SB 26, as amended, would designate a
portion of K-7 in Johnson County as the Senator Bud Burke
Memorial Highway. The portion of K-7 to be so designated
would be between K-10 and West Santa Fe Street.
The bill would also designate the portion of US-77 from
the western city limits of Blue Rapids to the eastern city limits
of the city of Waterville, in Marshall County, as the CPL Allen
E. Oatney and SP4 Gene A. Myers Memorial Highway. The
designation of Prairie Parkway would be removed from this
portion of US-77.
The bill would require suitable signs to be erected upon
the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) receiving
sufficient moneys from gifts and donations to reimburse the
Secretary for those costs. Under continuing law, the
Secretary must receive reimbursement for the cost of placing
such signs and an additional 50 percent of the initial cost from
gifts and donations to defray future maintenance or
replacement costs of such signs.

Background
The bill would include provisions of SB 26, as
introduced, and SB 19, as introduced.
____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
SB 26 (Senator Bud Burke Memorial Highway)
The bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on
Transportation at the request of Senator Bowers. [Note: The
bill contains the provisions of 2020 SB 377, as passed by the
Senate.]
Senate Committee on Transportation
In the Senate Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by a private citizen. This testimony also
included the names of 27 other private citizens and current
and former officials supporting the bill, including
Representatives Ballard, Helgerson, Proehl, Resman,
Ryckman, and Sawyer; the Attorney General; two former
Speakers of the House; a former legislator and Insurance
Commissioner; a former Attorney General; and a former
Senator and Secretary of Transportation. Written-only
proponent testimony was provided by a member of Senator
Burke’s family and a representative of the Olathe Chamber of
Commerce. Proponents described Senator Burke’s service to
his country in the military, to the University of Kansas, and in
the Kansas House of Representatives and the Kansas
Senate.
No other testimony was provided.
The Senate Committee recommended the bill be placed
on the Consent Calendar.
House Committee on Transportation
In the House Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by a private citizen, and written-only proponent
testimony from a member of Senator Burke’s family also was
provided. The proponents summarized Senator Burke’s
achievements in the Kansas Legislature and U.S. military,
and described him as honorable, a public servant, and an
excellent father. A list of 33 other private citizens and current
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and former legislators and other officials supporting was
included with testimony.
No other testimony was provided.
The House Committee amended the bill to add the
contents of SB 19, as introduced, and recommended a
substitute bill be passed.
Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill as introduced, the Kansas Department
of Transportation (KDOT) estimates it would cost $4,040 to
manufacture and install two signs indicating the designation,
and a total of $6,060 would need to be received from
donations to install the signs. KDOT indicates implementation
of the bill would require an increase of $4,040 to the
expenditure limitation for the agency operations account for
FY 2022. Any fiscal effect associated with enactment of the
bill is not reflected in The FY 2022 Governor’s Budget
Report.

SB 19 (CPL Allen E Oatney and SP4 Gene A Myers
Memorial Highway)
The bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on
Transportation at the request of Senator Bowers. [Note: The
provisions of the bill are the same as those of 2020 HB 2502,
as amended by the House Committee on Transportation.]
Senate Committee on Transportation
In the Senate Committee hearing, Senator Bowers,
Representative Moser, the mayor of Blue Rapids, and a
private citizen provided proponent testimony. Officials of
American Legion Post 332 and another private citizen
provided written-only proponent testimony.

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 According to testimony, Cpl. Oatney and SP4 Myers
grew up near the portion of highway to be designated and
died while serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
Cpl. Oatney graduated from Valley Heights High School in
1969 and died in 1970 in Cambodia. SP4 Myers graduated
from Waterville High School in 1966 and died in Vietnam in
1969.
No other testimony was provided.
The Senate Committee recommended the bill be placed
on the Consent Calendar.
House Committee on Transportation
In the House Committee hearing, Senator Bowers,
Representative Moser, the mayor of Blue Rapids, and a
private citizen provided proponent testimony. According to
proponent testimony, the honorees were heroes who fought
and died in the Vietnam War, and funding for the memorial
signage will be provided by private donations collected by the
Blue Rapids and Waterville American Legion Posts. A private
citizen provided written-only proponent testimony.
No other testimony was provided.
Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on SB 19, KDOT estimates it would cost $2,760 to
manufacture and install two signs indicating the designation
and a total of $4,140 would need to be received from
donations to install the signs. KDOT indicates implementation
of the bill would require an increase of $2,760 to the
expenditure limitation for the agency operations account for
FY 2022. Any fiscal effect associated with enactment of the
bill is not reflected in The FY 2022 Governor’s Budget
Report.

Highway; memorial; veterans; signage

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Statutes affected:
Version 2: 68-1022
Enrolled: 66-1