KEVIN D. WHITE MEM. HWY                                                                S.B. 48:

                                                                     SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL

                                                                                              IN COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 48 (as introduced 1-27-21)                                    (enacted version)

Sponsor:  Senator Kimberly A. LaSata

Committee:  Transportation and Infrastructure

Date Completed:  4-20-21

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to designate the portion of Highway I-94 in Benton Charter Township beginning at the interchange of Highway I-94 and Highway I-196 and extending south to the Napier Avenue exit as the "Kevin D. White Memorial Highway".

Proposed MCL 250.1110

BACKGROUND

Kevin D. White was born on February 4, 1971, in Detroit, Michigan. He attended Benton Harbor Area Schools and graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1989. After graduation, White attended Ivy Tech for mechanic training. In 2010, he began his employment with the Michigan Department of Transportation.

On October 23, 2019, White was driving a work truck along the side of westbound I-94 in Berrien County when he exited the vehicle to remove a large piece of debris from the highway. After exiting, White was struck by a tire that came off a passing semitrailer truck and suffered fatal injuries. He was 48 years old and was the first Department of Transportation employee to die on the job since 2008.

Among other accomplishments, White served as an elected official in Berrien Township. He first served as a trustee from 2012 to 2015. From 2015 until his death, he served as a township supervisor.

                                                                Legislative Analyst:  Tyler VanHuyse

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government. The Act specifies that the Department of Transportation may provide for the erection and maintenance of markers designating the name of a highway only when sufficient private funds are available to cover the costs of erecting and maintaining those markers. As such, private funds would cover the cost of the renaming, and no State funds would be used.

                                                                      Fiscal Analyst:  Michael Siracuse

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.