AB559: Bill Text

LRB-3230/1

ARG:wlj:pg

2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE

2005 Assembly BILL 559

July 18, 2005 - Introduced by Representatives Lothian, Bies, Albers, Davis, Gunderson, Hahn, Hines, Honadel, Jensen, Kleefisch, Krawczyk, Nass, Ott, Owens, Petrowski, Pridemore, Van Roy, Vos and M. Williams, cosponsored by Senators Stepp and Zien. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB559,1,3 An Act to create 84.1024 and 84.1034 of the statutes; relating to: designating and marking a portion of USH 14 as the Ronald Reagan Highway and STH 122 as the Harriet Tubman Memorial Highway.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, certain highway routes and bridges have been designated and marked to memorialize, commemorate, or recognize certain individuals or events. This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to designate and, upon receipt of sufficient contributions from interested parties, mark the route of USH 14 in this state from the Wisconsin-Illinois border to Madison as the "Ronald Reagan Highway" in recognition and appreciation of the public career of Ronald Reagan, who served with distinction for two terms as the 40th president of the United States and who subsequently demonstrated grace and dignity in his struggle with Alzheimer's disease. The bill also directs DOT to designate and, upon receipt of sufficient contributions from interested parties, mark the entire route in this state of STH 122 as the "Harriet Tubman Memorial Highway" in recognition and appreciation of the life of Harriet Tubman, a leader in the movement to abolish slavery in the 19th century who led over 300 slaves to freedom in the North on the Underground Railroad. No state funds, other than from contributions from interested parties, may be used for the erection or maintenance of any markers on these highways to identify them, respectively, as the "Ronald Reagan Highway" and the "Harriet Tubman Memorial Highways."

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB559, s. 1 Section 1. 84.1024 of the statutes is created to read:

AB559,2,8 84.1024 Harriet Tubman Memorial Highway. (1) The department shall designate and, subject to sub. (2), mark the route of STH 122, commencing at STH 77 at Upson and proceeding northerly to the Wisconsin-Michigan border in Iron County, as the "Harriet Tubman Memorial Highway" in recognition and appreciation of the life of Harriet Tubman, a leader in the movement to abolish slavery in the 19th century who led more than 300 slaves to freedom in the North by making 19 trips through the network of hiding places known as the Underground Railroad.

AB559,2,15 (2) Upon receipt of sufficient contributions from interested parties, including any county, city, village, or town, to cover the costs of erecting and maintaining markers along the route specified in sub. (1) to clearly identify to motorists the designation of the route as the "Harriet Tubman Memorial Highway," the department shall erect and maintain the markers. No state funds, other than from the receipt of contributions under this subsection, may be expended for the erection or maintenance of the markers.

AB559, s. 2 Section 2. 84.1034 of the statutes is created to read:

AB559,3,2 84.1034 Ronald Reagan Highway. (1) The department shall designate and, subject to sub. (2), mark the route of USH 14 from the Wisconsin-Illinois border to Madison as the "Ronald Reagan Highway" in recognition and appreciation of the public career of Ronald Reagan, who served for 2 terms of office with distinction as the 40th president of the United States of America and who subsequently demonstrated grace and dignity in his struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

AB559,3,9 (2) Upon receipt of sufficient contributions from interested parties, including any county, city, village, or town, to cover the costs of erecting and maintaining markers along the route specified in sub. (1) to clearly identify to motorists the designation of the route as the "Ronald Reagan Highway," the department shall erect and maintain the markers. No state funds, other than from the receipt of contributions under this subsection, may be expended for the erection or maintenance of the markers.

AB559,3,10 (End)