FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6636

                          C 172 L 96

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Authorizing designation of rest areas as POW/MIA memorials.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Bauer, Oke, Owen and Kohl).

Senate Committee on Transportation

House Committee on Transportation

Background:  The Washington State Department of Transportation operates 38 safety rest areas, 29 of which are located along interstate highways.

Last session, the Legislature enacted legislation which expanded the adopt-a-highway program beyond traditional roadside litter pick-up activities. For example, the legislation allows private entities to finance activities including planting vegetation and removing graffiti at safety rest areas.

In Illinois, the Department of Transportation has instituted a program allowing memorial signs to be placed in their safety rest areas for prisoners of war (POW) and those missing in action (MIA).

Summary:  The Transportation Commission may designate interstate safety rest areas as locations for memorial signs to prisoners of war and those missing in action.  The commission is directed to adopt policies for the placement of memorial signs in interstate safety rest areas.  The policies must include, but are not limited to, guidelines with respect to memorial signs pertaining to their size, location, and inscriptions.

Nonprofit associations may have their name identified on a memorial sign, provided they bear the cost of supplying and maintaining the sign.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    49 0

House     98 0 (House amended)

Senate    45 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  June 6, 1996