BILL NUMBER:  S6368                   Revised 05/05/16

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the highway law, in relation to designating a portion
of the state highway system as the "Sergeant Kevin W. White Memorial
Bridge"

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

To designate a bridge on U.S. Route 20, between Oak street and South
Portage street, in the town of Westfield, County of Chautauqua, as the
"Sergeant Kevin W. White Memorial Bridge."

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1. Adds a new subdivision (e) to Section 344 of the highway
law designating the bridge on U.S. Route 20, between Oak street and
South Portage street, in the town of Westfield, county of Chautauqua,
as the "Sergeant Kevin W. White Memorial Bridge."

Section 2. Provides that the Commissioner of the Department of
Transportation shall provide for the installation and maintenance of
adequate signing of the state highway system as designated pursuant to
section one of this act.

              

 JUSTIFICATION :

Sergeant Kevin W. White was born and raised in Westfield, New York on
May 20, 1988. Upon his graduation from Westfield Academy Central
School in 2006, Sergeant White enlisted with the United States Army.
He received Basic Infantry and Advanced Individual Training at Fort
Benning, Georgia and was subsequently stationed in Baumholder, Germany
with the First Armored Division as a Bradley Armored Personnel Carrier
driver.

From April 2008 to June 2009, Sergeant White was deployed to Iraq,
where he drove the lead Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle
in over 200 patrols, earning him the Army Commendation Medal and the
Army Achievement Medal. On one such patrol in January 2009, Sergeant
White's MRAP was struck by an explosive device which caused severe
damage to the vehicle, but left Sergeant White and his fellow soldiers
unharmed, which earned them the Combat Infantry Badge.

Sergeant White re-enlisted in the Army while still deployed in Iraq,
and in October of 2009, he was re-assigned to Schofield Barracks,
Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division. He also volunteered for
training to earn his Air Assault Badge at the Sabalauski Air Assault
School with the 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

In April of 2007, Sergeant White deployed to the Pech River Valley,
Kunar Province, Afghanistan, which lies near the border of Pakistan.
Less than a month into his Afghanistan deployment, Sergeant White
volunteered to command the lead patrol vehicle. On May 2nd, 2011,
Sergeant White was killed when his vehicle was hit by an Improvised
Explosive Device.

He had earned but had not yet had the opportunity to be awarded the
rank of Sergeant at the time of his death. He was awarded the
promotion posthumously, as well as the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, his
second Army Commendation Medal, the New York State Conspicuous Service
Cross with two silver devices and the Hawaii Medal of Honor.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New Bill.
 FISCAL. IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.