CORRECTIONS OFFICERS JACK BUDD AND
JOSEPHINE MCCALLUM MEMORIAL HIGHWAY
House Bill 5923 as reported from committee
Sponsor: Rep. Julie Alexander
Committee: Transportation and Infrastructure
Complete to 5-8-18 (Enacted as Public Act 356 of 2018)
SUMMARY:
House Bill 5923 would amend the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to designate the portion of highway I-94 in Jackson County between exits 139 and 141 as the “Corrections Officers Jack Budd and Josephine McCallum Memorial Highway.”
Proposed MCL 250.1018a
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On March 24, 1987 Josephine McCallum, a rookie corrections officer at the State Prison of Southern Michigan in Jackson, was found raped, strangled, and beaten to death in an auditorium stairwell. Although there were no staff witnesses, evidence pointed to a single attacker who was later found guilty of committing the crime.
Corrections Officer Jack Budd was stabbed to death on December 27, 1987, also at the State Prison of Southern Michigan, by a prisoner being escorted to the ground-floor shower stall. The prisoner broke free and attacked an officer escorting him. He then ran down the cell block, where he found and stabbed Jack Budd with a homemade weapon. Despite his injuries, Budd helped to subdue the prisoner. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died an hour later.
Budd’s and McCallum’s deaths lead to sweeping changes within the Michigan Department of Corrections. Advanced training, increased staffing, revised inmate discipline, and the breakup of the Jackson Central Complex into several smaller prisons were among the changes. Dedicating a portion of highway I-94 to both officers recognizes their sacrifice and honors their commitment to the mission, vision, and values of the Michigan Department of Corrections.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Section 2 of the Michigan Memorial Highway Act indicates that the state transportation department shall provide for the erection of suitable markers indicating the name of the highway only “when sufficient private contributions are received to completely cover the cost of erecting and maintaining those markers.” As a result, the bill has no state or local fiscal impact.
The Michigan Department of Transportation indicates that the cost of highway signs varies depending on the size of the sign. The size is a function of sign legend and location (freeway or non-freeway). Non-freeway signs have smaller legends with smaller borders, while freeway signs have larger legends with larger borders. Larger signs require breakaway posts, while smaller signs use 4-inch by 6-inch wooden posts. Typical sign fabrication and placement costs range from $1,000 to $2,000. These figures are for two signs (one in each direction) and include labor, equipment, and materials (sign materials, sheeting, foundations, and posts).
POSITIONS:
The Michigan Department of Corrections indicated support for the bill. (5-8-18)
A representative of the Michigan Corrections Organization testified in support of the bill. (5-8-18)
The Michigan Department of Transportation has no position on the bill. (5-8-18)
Fiscal Analyst: William E. Hamilton
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.