BILL NUMBER:  S6549A

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the highway law, in relation to
designating a portion of the state highway system in Nassau county as
the "Detective Steven McDonald Memorial Highway"

 PURPOSE :

The purpose of this legislation is to designate a portion of the state
highway system as the "Detective Steven McDonald Memorial Highway".

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one of the bill designates the portion of the state highway
system constituting the Southern State Parkway, beginning at the
interchange of the Belt Parkway and the Cross Island Parkway,
continuing in a generally easterly direction, and terminating at exit
22, the intersection of the Meadowbrook State Parkway, as the
"Detective Steven McDonald Memorial Highway".

Section two of the bill requires the Commissioner of Transportation to
provide for the installation and maintenance of adequate signing of
the state highway system as designated by section one.

 JUSTIFICATION :

              

Steven McDonald, was born in Queens Village on March 1, 1957, and grew
up on Long Island. He spent four years as a medical corpsman in the
United States Navy before joining the New York City Police Department.

On July 12, 1986, Detective McDonald was on patrol when he spotted
bicycle thief Shavod "Buddha" Jones and two other teenagers in Central
Park. When he moved to frisk one of them, the 15-year-old Jones shot
McDonald three times, with one bullet piercing the officer's spinal
column and leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.  His wife was
three months pregnant at the time of the shooting.

In 1987, with Steven still struggling to recover, he made a statement
about Jones through his wife that defined the rest of his life: "I
forgive him and hope he can find peace and purpose in his life."
Steven had to breathe with a respirator and used a wheelchair for
mobility. He found strength and support in his family and Roman
Catholic religion.

In the years to follow, Steven met with Pope John Paul II and Nelson
Mandela, and sat for an interview with Barbara Walters. He also took
his message of forgiveness to Israel, Northern Ireland and Bosnia.
The New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) established
the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, for the team member who goes
above and beyond the call of duty, in his honor following the
1987-1988 NHL season. Steven was an avid hockey fan and personally
presented the award winner with a trophy and a $25,000 check, in the
player's name, made out to the Steven McDonald Foundation. Steven's
story was documented in the book "The Steven McDonald Story" (1989),
written by his wife and E.J. Kahn III.

Officer McDonald's efforts to support others who overcame disabilities
drew national attention. In August 1996, though he was a Democrat,
Steven addressed the Republican National Convention in support of
Senator Bob Dole's nomination, citing the serious wounds Senator Dole
sustained in World War II and had overcome.

On January 11, 2017, Steven McDonald passed away after suffering a
heart attack. He was survived by his wife, Patricia Ann "Patti", the
Mayor of Malverne, Long Island, and his son, Connor, who followed his
father into the NYPD.
This legislation, designating the Southern State Parkway as the
"Detective Steven McDonald Memorial Highway", is a fitting tribute to
a truly inspirational and forgiving hero.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

Minimal.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.