SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6636

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

               Transportation, February 1, 1996

Title:  An act relating to dedication of roadside safety rest areas.

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

Sponsors:  Senators Bauer, Oke, Owen and Kohl.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  2/1/96 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6636 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Owen, Chair; Heavey, Vice Chair; Goings, Haugen, Morton, Oke, Prince, Rasmussen, Schow, Sellar, Thibaudeau and Wood.

Staff:  Jennifer Joly (786-7305)

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 of Substitute Bill:  The Transportation Commission may designate interstate safety rest areas as locations for memorial signs to prisoners of war and those missing in action.

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

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: Rather than designating entire safety rest areas as memorials to POW/MIAs, provisions are made allowing for placement of a memorial sign in the rest area.

The placement of POW/MIA memorial signs are limited to interstate safety rest areas.

The nonprofit association wishing to have its name associated with a particular memorial sign must bear the cost of supplying and maintaining the sign.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Placement of memorial signs in safety rest areas to honor POWs/MIAs should be authorized to honor those soldiers who have made great sacrifices for our liberty.  The 40 veteran service organizations in the state of Washington support his legislation.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Senator Bauer, prime sponsor; Beau Bergeron, WA Dept. Veteran Affairs Director; Bill Hughes, Cascade Mariners; Gordon Clark, American ex prisoner of war; Larry Rus, WSDOT.