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Minutes for HB2531 - Committee on Transportation
Short Title
Designating segments of Kansas and United States highways to members of the Kansas highway patrol killed in the line of duty.
Minutes Content for Thu, Mar 1, 2018
Chairperson Petersen opened the hearing and Mr. Wells gave an overview. Mr. Wells said the bill designates portions of highways in Kansas as memorial highways in honor of Kansas Highway Patrol officers killed in the line of duty and also amends several current designations. Section 16 exempts these designations from requirements for payment for the costs of highway signs from donations, and Section 17 adds the title of "Sergeant" to the Eldon K. Miller Memorial Highway, which is U.S. Highway 75 from the northern border of Woodson County to the northern city limits of Yates Center, designated in 2017.
Senator Pettey referenced the fiscal note and asked whether donation requirements had been waived in any other highway naming as they are in Section 16. Mr. Wells said this had not been waived for Mr. Miller.
Senator Hardy asked if a highway had been named for a person lost in the line of duty and another person lost in the line of duty was from the same area, would that be an issue in highway naming? Mr. Wells indicated this would be dealt with in the future.
Senator Schmidt asked whether the fiscal note includes the cost of moving the signs for highway designations, and Mr. Wells said he did not know.
Senator Schmidt asked about the rules for including or not including titles of persons in the highway designations. Mr. Wells said the State relies on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), and this year, it was decided to include titles in this highway designation bill.
Senator Pettey said there should be a uniform approach for titles, whether law enforcement or elected officials.
Senator Hawk asked whether a waiver to MUTCD prohibitions on biographical information must be requested.
Senator Goddard said in regard to Senator Hawk's question, if a highway is designated for more than one person, there could be conflicts in the future. He noted the cost per sign varied from $670 to $3,300. Chairperson Petersen noted costs vary by the size of the sign and the requirements for proper installation in each location.
Colonel Mark Bruce, Superintendent, Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), provided proponent testimony (Attachment 3). Since the KHP's inception in 1937, ten patrol members have sacrificed their lives in service to the citizens of Kansas, said Colonel Bruce, adding that the memorializing should have occurred years ago. Collectively, these patrol members can now be granted the level of respect they deserve for serving and protecting their fellow man.
There was no opponent testimony. Written neutral testimony was provided by Joel Skelley, Kansas Department of Transportation (Attachment 4).
The hearing was closed.
