February 13, 2024
SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION No. 10
DIGEST OF RESOLUTION
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the Indiana Department
of Transportation to rename a bridge overpass over US 31 in Marshall
County the "Owen Abbott Memorial Bridge".
Doriot, Bohacek, Donato, Mishler,
Niezgodski, Rogers
(HOUSE SPONSORS — MILLER D, JORDAN, KING, SPEEDY)
January 18, 2024, read first time and referred to Committee on Homeland Security and
Transportation.
January 30, 2024, reported favorably — Do Pass.
February 1, 2024, read second time, adopted by voice vote.
HOUSE ACTION
February 12, 2024, read first time and referred to Committee on Roads and Transportation.
February 13, 2024, reported — Do Pass.
SC 10—RC 1512/DI SM February 13, 2024
Second Regular Session 123rd General Assembly (2024)
SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION No. 10
1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the Indiana
2 Department of Transportation to rename a railroad bridge
3 overpass over US 31 in Marshall County the "Owen Abbott
4 Memorial Bridge".
5 Whereas, Owen Abbott was born May 2, 2005, in Winamac,
6 Indiana, to Dean Abbott, Jr., and Britni Fritz;
7 Whereas, An active eighth-grade student at Winamac
8 Community Middle School, Owen was a member of the school
9 football team, played baseball for Star City Little League on the
10 All-Star team, was a member of the Pulaski County 4-H
11 program, and enjoyed both hunting and shooting;
12 Whereas, On December 5, 2018, Owen was traveling to
13 Warsaw on a field trip with other Winamac Community Middle
14 School students when the school bus he was riding in made a
15 mandatory stop at a rail crossing on US 31 near Argos,
16 Indiana, and was hit from behind by a truck driver, fatally
17 injuring Owen;
18 Whereas, Between 2018 and 2022, there were seven major
19 crashes involving vehicles legally required to stop at this
20 particular railroad crossing, resulting in 38 injuries and the
21 loss of Owen;
22 Whereas, On April 21, 2023, The Indiana Department of
23 Transportation (INDOT) broke ground to begin a $28 million
24 project including the construction of a railroad overpass in
25 place of the dangerous intersection, with an expectation for the
SC 10—RC 1512/DI SM 2
1 overpass to prevent similar tragedies in the future; and
2 Whereas, It is fitting for INDOT and the State of Indiana to
3 honor Owen by naming the new railroad bridge overpass over
4 US 31 in Marshall County the "Owen Abbott Memorial
5 Bridge": Therefore,
6 Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly
7 of the State of Indiana, the House of Representatives
8 concurring:
9 SECTION 1. That the Indiana General Assembly urges the
10 Indiana Department of Transportation to rename a bridge
11 overpass over US 31 in Marshall County the "Owen Abbott
12 Memorial Bridge".
13 SECTION 2. The Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed
14 to transmit copies of this Resolution to Britni Fritz, Nick Fritz,
15 Dean Abbott, Jr., and the Commissioner of the Indiana
16 Department of Transportation.
SC 10—RC 1512/DI SM 3
COMMITTEE REPORT
Madam President: The Senate Committee on Homeland Security
and Transportation, to which was referred Senate Concurrent
Resolution No. 10, has had the same under consideration and begs
leave to report the same back to the Senate with the recommendation
that said resolution DO PASS.
(Reference is to SC 10 as introduced.)
CRIDER, Chairperson
Committee Vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0
_____
COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Roads and Transportation, to
which was referred Senate Concurrent Resolution 10, has had the same
under consideration and begs leave to report the same back to the
House with the recommendation that said resolution do pass.
(Reference is to SC 10 as printed February 12, 2024.)
PRESSEL
Committee Vote: Yeas 12, Nays 0
SC 10—RC 1512/DI SM