BILL NUMBER: S9283    Revised 5/17/22

SPONSOR: SERINO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the highway law, in relation to designating a portion of
the state highway system as the "Trooper James G. Sweeney Memorial
Bridge"

 
PURPOSE:

To honor New York State Trooper James G. Sweeney by designating a
portion of the state highway as the "Trooper James G. Sweeney Memorial
Bridge."

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends the highway law to designate the eastbound and west-
bound bridges on Lime Kiln Road, in the Town of East Fishkill, crossing
Interstate 84, as the "Trooper James G.  Sweeney Memorial Bridge."

Section 2: Provides that the Commissioner of Transportation shall
              

provide for the installation and maintenance of adequate signing of the
state highway system as designated pursuant to section 1 of this act.
Provided, however, that the designation shall be one of ceremonial
nature and the official name of such bridge shall not be changed as a
result of this act.

Section 3: Provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

James Sweeney joined the New York State Police after originally serving
in the NYPD. In his approximately three decades of service with the
State Police, Trooper Sweeney served Dutchess and Putnam counties, ulti-
mately attaining the rank of Zone Sergeant. Outside of his service to
the local community as a State Trooper, he was a member of the Ancient
Order of Hibernians, the Fraternal Order of Police, the International
Police Association and the Knights of Columbus.

Zone Sergeant Sweeney was also proud of his work successfully advocating
for the State Legislature and then-Governor Pataki to rename two over-
passes in honor of two fallen colleagues, and was also a strong advocate
for the creation of a State Highway Memorial Task Force.

After a hard fought battle with cancer associated with his assignment to
Ground Zero in 2001, Zone Sergeant Sweeney sadly passed away in 2021.
This legislation would be a fitting commemoration of the service Trooper
Sweeney provided to his community and his fellow State Troopers by
designating the eastbound and westbound bridges on Lime Kiln Road over
Interstate 84, in the Town of East Fishkill, as the "Trooper James G.
Sweeney Memorial Bridge."

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.