EXPLANATION-Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted
and is intended to be omitted in the law.
FIRST REGULAR SESSION
[TRULY AGREED TO AND FINALLY PASSED ]
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 139
102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
2023
0697S.04T
AN ACT
To repeal sections 9.138, 226.1150, 227.297, and 227.299, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof
twenty new sections relating to state designations.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 9.138, 226.1150, 227.297, and 1
227.299, RSMo, are repealed and twenty n ew sections enacted in 2
lieu thereof, to be known as sections 9.138, 9.368, 9.369, 3
9.371, 9.372, 9.373, 9.374, 9.377, 9.378, 9.379, 9.387, 10.246, 4
10.247, 226.1150, 226.1160, 227.296, 227.297, 227.299, 227.822, 5
and 227.834, to read as follows:6
9.138. The governor shall annually issue a 1
proclamation setting apart the first week of March as 2
["Math, Engineering, Technology and Science (METS) Week" ] 3
"Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Week" , 4
and recommending to the people of the state t hat the week be 5
appropriately observed through activities that will result 6
in an increased awareness of the importance of advancing 7
community interest in [math, engineering, technology, and 8
science] science, technology, engineering, and math 9
programs, and promote [METS] STEM careers statewide in order 10
to advance Missouri's workforce. The proclamation shall 11
also recommend that the week be observed with appropriate 12 CCS SS SB 139 2
activities in public schools. Public and private 13
involvement in [METS] STEM week demonstrates that fostering 14
and encouraging interest in the sciences is a major factor 15
in determining growth and success in school and will help 16
students develop a focus on technology -based careers after 17
graduation. 18
9.368. The month of January each year shall be known 1
as "State Legislator Remembrance Month" in memory of all 2
state legislators who died while in office. Citizens of 3
this state are encouraged to participate in appropriate 4
events and activities to recognize those who los t their life 5
while serving in the general assembly. 6
9.369. June twelfth of each year is hereby designated 1
as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day". Citizens of this 2
state are encouraged to engage in appropriate events and 3
activities to recognize and address disparities in care, 4
recognition, and benefits that our women veterans receive; 5
to highlight the growing presence of women in the Armed 6
Forces and the National Guard; and to pay respect to women 7
veterans for their dutiful militar y service. 8
9.371. The first Saturday of October of each year is 1
hereby designated as "Breast Cancer Awareness Day" in 2
Missouri. The citizens of this state are encouraged to 3
participate in appropriate events and activities to raise 4
awareness and celebrate survivors of breast cancer, the most 5
commonly occurring cancer among women in the United States. 6
9.372. The third Saturday of October of each year is 1
hereby designated as "Domestic Violence Awareness Day" in 2
Missouri. The citizens of this state are encouraged to 3
participate in appropriate events and activities to bring 4
awareness to domestic violence and its impacts on 5 CCS SS SB 139 3
individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, 6
or socioeconomic status. 7
9.373. January sixteenth each year is hereby 1
designated as "Albert Pujols Day" in Missouri. The citizens 2
of this state are encouraged to participate in appropriate 3
events and activities to celebrate the legendary St. Louis 4
Cardinals first baseman who retired in 2022 with more than 5
three thousand career hits and more than seven hundred 6
career home runs. 7
9.374. May third each year is hereby designated as 1
"Shelley v. Kraemer Day" in Missouri. The citizens of this 2
state are encouraged to participate in appropriate events 3
and activities to recognize the historical impact of the 4
United States Supreme Court case originating in St. Louis 5
that held racially restrictive covenants in residential 6
neighborhoods are not enforceable in state court. 7
9.377. November twenty-third each year is hereby 1
designated as "K.C. Wolf Day" in Missouri. The citizens of 2
this state are encouraged to participate in appropriate 3
events and activities to celebrate th e mascot of the Kansas 4
City Chiefs football team. 5
9.378. March nineteenth is hereby designated as "Lloyd 1
Gaines Day" in Missouri. The citizens of this state are 2
encouraged to participate in appropriate events and 3
activities to remember Gaines and his important role in the 4
early twentieth century civil rights movement. Gaines was 5
denied admission to the University of Missouri School of Law 6
and won his court case requiring the state to admit him or 7
establish a second law school f or black students. The state 8
opted to establish a second law school, but Gaines went 9
missing before he could enroll. 10 CCS SS SB 139 4
9.379. The month of May is hereby designated as "Asian 1
and Pacific Islander Heritage Month" in Missouri. The 2
citizens of this state are encouraged to participate in 3
appropriate events and activities to recognize the 4
generations of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans who have 5
positively influenced and enriched our state and society. 6
9.387. April sixteenth of each year is hereby 1
designated as "Baker Service Appreciation Day". The 2
citizens of this state are encouraged to participate in 3
appropriate events and activities to honor the memories of 4
David and Brian Baker and their lives of service to others. 5
10.246. The Hawken rifle, a muzzle -loading rifle first 1
manufactured in St. Louis and widely used by fur trappers, 2
traders, and explorers in the early to mid -nineteenth 3
century, is selected for and shall be known as the off icial 4
state rifle of the state of Missouri. 5
10.247. The city of Piedmont and the county of Wayne 1
are hereby selected for and shall be known as the "UFO 2
Capitals of Missouri". Hundreds of UFO sightings occurred 3
in Piedmont and Wayne County, Missouri, between February and 4
April 1973. These incidents were part of a large pattern of 5
UFO sightings throughout the United States in 1973. 6
226.1150. The counties located along the Missouri 1
River that were greatly influe nced by early German settlers 2
including Boone, Chariton, Saline, Lafayette, Cooper, 3
Howard, Moniteau, Cole, Callaway, Osage, Gasconade, 4
Montgomery, Warren, Franklin, St. Charles, [and] St. Louis, 5
and Perry, and the City of St. Louis, shall be designate d 6
the "German Heritage Corridor of Missouri". The department 7
of transportation may place suitable markings and 8
informational signs in the designated areas. Costs for such 9
designation shall be paid by private donations. 10 CCS SS SB 139 5
226.1160. The region of southeast Missouri that 1
includes the South County area of St. Louis county and the 2
counties of Jefferson, Franklin, Crawford, Dent, Shannon, 3
Oregon, Ste. Genevieve, Washington, St. Francois, Madison, 4
Iron, Perry, Wayne, Reynolds, Bollinger , Cape Girardeau, 5
Scott, Mississippi, Stoddard, Ripley, Butler, Carter, New 6
Madrid, Pemiscot, and Dunklin shall be designated the "Stars 7
and Stripes Historic Region of Missouri". The department of 8
transportation may place suitable markings and informa tional 9
signs in the designated areas. Costs for such designation 10
shall be paid by private donation. 11
227.296. 1. This section shall be known as the "FA 1
Paul Akers Jr and LCPL Jared Schmitz Memorial Sign Funding 2
Act". 3
2. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the 4
contrary, beginning August 28, 2023, for designations on the 5
state highway system honoring members of the Armed Forces 6
killed in the line of duty, members of the Armed Forces who 7
are missing in action, Missouri re cipients of the medal of 8
honor, emergency personnel killed while performing duties 9
relating to their employment, or state employees killed 10
while serving the state, no fees shall be assessed and all 11
costs associated with such designations shall be funde d by 12
the department of transportation. 13
227.297. 1. This section establishes a designation 1
program, to be known as the "Heroes Way Designation 2
Program", to honor the fallen Missouri heroes who have been 3
killed in action while perfor ming active military duty with 4
the Armed Forces. The signs shall be placed upon interstate 5
or state-numbered highway interchanges or upon bridges or 6
segments of highway on the state highway system in 7
accordance with this section, and any applicable fe deral and 8 CCS SS SB 139 6
state limitations or conditions on highway signage, 9
including location and spacing. 10
2. Any person who is related by marriage, adoption, or 11
consanguinity within the second degree to a member of the 12
United States Armed Forces who was kill ed in action while 13
performing active military duty with the Armed Forces, and 14
who was a resident of this state at the time he or she was 15
killed in action, may apply for a designation under the 16
provisions of this section. 17
3. Any person described u nder subsection 2 of this 18
section who desires to have an interstate or state -numbered 19
highway interchange or bridge or segment of highway on the 20
state highway system designated after his or her family 21
member shall petition the department of transportat ion by 22
submitting the following: 23
(1) An application in a form prescribed by the 24
director, describing the interstate or state -numbered 25
highway interchange or bridge or segment of highway on the 26
state highway system for which the designation is sou ght and 27
the proposed name of the interchange, bridge or relevant 28
segment of highway. The application shall include the name 29
of at least one current member of the general assembly who 30
will sponsor the designation. The application may contain 31
written testimony for support of the designation; 32
(2) Proof that the family member killed in action was 33
a member of the United States Armed Forces and proof that 34
such family member was in fact killed in action while 35
performing active military duty with th e United States Armed 36
Forces. Acceptable proof shall be a statement from the 37
Missouri veterans commission or the United States Department 38
of Veterans Affairs so certifying such facts; and 39 CCS SS SB 139 7
(3) By signing a form provided by the Missouri 40
transportation department, the applicant shall certify that 41
the applicant is related by marriage, adoption, or 42
consanguinity within the second degree to the member of the 43
United States Armed Forces who was killed in action [; and 44
(4) A fee to be determined b y the commission to cover 45
the costs of constructing and maintaining the proposed 46
interchange, bridge, or highway signs. The fee shall not 47
exceed the cost of constructing and maintaining each sign. 48
4. All moneys received by the department of 49
transportation for the construction and maintenance of 50
interchange, bridge, or highway signs shall be deposited in 51
the state treasury to the credit of the state road fund ]. 52
[5.] 4. The documents [and fees] required under this 53
section shall be submitte d to the department of 54
transportation. 55
[6.] 5. The department of transportation shall submit 56
for approval or disapproval all applications for 57
designations to the joint committee on transportation 58
oversight. The joint committee on transportation oversight 59
may review such applications at any scheduled meeting 60
convened pursuant to section 21.795. If satisfied with the 61
application and all its contents, the committee shall 62
approve the application. The committee shall notify the 63
department of transportation upon the approval or denial of 64
an application for a designation. 65
[7.] 6. The department of transportation shall give 66
notice of any proposed designation under this section in a 67
manner reasonably calculated to advise the public of such 68
proposal. Reasonable notice shall include posting the 69
proposal for the designation on the department's official 70
public website and making available copies of the sign 71 CCS SS SB 139 8
designation application to any representative of the news 72
media or public upon requ est and posting the application on 73
a bulletin board or other prominent public place which is 74
easily accessible to the public and clearly designated for 75
that purpose at the principal office. 76
[8. If the memorial designation request is not 77
approved by the joint committee on transportation oversight, 78
ninety-seven percent of the application fee shall be 79
refunded to the applicant. 80
9.] 7. Two signs shall be erected for each 81
interchange, bridge, or highway designation processed under 82
this section. 83
[10.] 8. No interchange, bridge, or highway may be 84
named or designated after more than one member of the United 85
States Armed Forces killed in action. Such person shall 86
only be eligible for one interchange, bridge, or highway 87
designation under the provisions of this section. 88
[11.] 9. Any highway signs erected for any designation 89
under the provisions of this section shall be erected and 90
maintained for a twenty -year period. After such period, the 91
signs shall be subject to removal by the department of 92
transportation and the interchange, bridge, or highway may 93
be designated to honor persons other than the current 94
designee. An existing designation processed under the 95
provisions of this section may be retained for additional 96
twenty-year increments if, at least one year before the 97
designation's expiration, an application to the department 98
of transportation is made to retain the designation along 99
with the [required] documents [and all applicable fees ] 100
required under this section. 101
227.299. 1. Except as provided in subsection 7 of 1
this section, an organization or person that seeks a bridge 2 CCS SS SB 139 9
or highway designation on the state highway system to honor 3
an event, place, organization, or person who has been 4
deceased for more than two years shall petition the 5
department of transportation by submitting the following: 6
(1) An application in a form prescribed by the 7
director, describing the bridge or segment of highway for 8
which designation is sought and the pr oposed name of the 9
bridge or relevant portion of highway. The application 10
shall include the name of at least one current member of the 11
general assembly who will sponsor the bridge or highway 12
designation. The application may contain written testimony 13
for support of the bridge or highway designation; 14
(2) A list of at least one hundred signatures of 15
individuals who support the naming of the bridge or highway; 16
and 17
(3) A fee to be determined by the commission to cover 18
the costs of construct ing and maintaining the proposed 19
signs. The fee shall not exceed the cost of constructing 20
and maintaining each sign. 21
2. All moneys received by the department of 22
transportation for the construction and maintenance of 23
bridge or highway signs on th e state highway system shall be 24
deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the state 25
road fund. 26
3. The documents and fees required under this section 27
shall be submitted to the department of transportation no 28
later than November first prior to the next regular session 29
of the general assembly to be approved or denied by the 30
joint committee on transportation oversight during such 31
legislative session. 32
4. The department of transportation shall give notice 33
of any proposed bridge or highw ay designation on the state 34 CCS SS SB 139 10
highway system in a manner reasonably calculated to advise 35
the public of such proposal. Reasonable notice shall 36
include posting the proposal for the designation on the 37
department's official public website, and making availa ble 38
copies of the sign designation application to any 39
representative of the news media or public upon request and 40
posting the application on a bulletin board or other 41
prominent public place which is easily accessible to the 42
public and clearly designat ed for that purpose at the 43
principal office. 44
5. If the memorial highway designation requested by 45
the organization is not approved by the joint committee on 46
transportation oversight, ninety -seven percent of the 47
application fee shall be refunded to the requesting 48
organization. 49
6. Two highway signs shall be erected for each bridge 50
and highway designation on the state highway system 51
processed under this section. When a named section of a 52
highway crosses two or more county lines, considerati on 53
shall be given by the department of transportation to allow 54
additional signage at the county lines or major 55
intersections. 56
7. [(1)] Highway or bridge designations on the state 57
highway system honoring fallen law enforcement officers, 58
members of the Armed Forces killed in the line of duty, 59
Missouri recipients of the medal of honor, emergency 60
personnel killed while performing duties relating to their 61
employment, or state employees killed while serving the 62
state shall not be subject to the pr ovisions of this section. 63
[(2) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the 64
contrary, beginning August 28, 2021, for designations 65
honoring Missouri medal of honor recipients, no fees shall 66 CCS SS SB 139 11
be assessed and all costs associated with such designations 67
shall be funded by the department of transportation. ] 68
8. No bridge or portion of a highway on the state 69
highway system may be named or designated after more than 70
one event, place, organization, or person. Each event, 71
place, organization, or per son shall only be eligible for 72
one bridge or highway designation. 73
9. Any highway signs erected for any bridge or highway 74
designation on the state highway system under the provisions 75
of this section shall be erected and maintained for a twenty - 76
year period. After such period, the signs shall be subject 77
to removal by the department of transportation and the 78
bridge or highway may be designated to honor events, places, 79
organizations, or persons other than the current designee. 80
An existing highway or bridge designation processed under 81
the provisions of this section may be retained for 82
additional twenty-year increments if, at least one year 83
before the designation's expiration, an application to the 84
department of transportation is made to retain the 85
designation along with the required documents and all 86
applicable fees required under this section. 87
10. For persons honored with designations on the state 88
highway system under this chapter after August 28, 2021, the 89
department of transportatio n shall post a link on its 90
website to biographical information of such persons. 91
11. The provisions of this section shall apply to 92
bridge or highway designations sought after August 28, 2006. 93
227.822. The Missouri portion of the new bridge 1
(Chester Bridge) on State Highway 51 crossing over the 2
Mississippi River in Perry County to the Missouri/Illinois 3
state line shall be designated the "Don Welge Memorial 4
Bridge". The Missouri department of transportation shall 5 CCS SS SB 139 12
collaborate with the Illinois department of transportation 6
in designating, erecting, and maintaining appropriate signs 7
designating each state's portion of the bridge, with the 8
costs to be paid by private donations. 9
227.834. The portion of Interst ate 64 from the 1
Interstate 64 ramp to Interstate 270 continuing east to 2
Spoede Road in St. Louis County shall be designated the 3
"Major Lee Berra Memorial Highway". The department of 4
transportation shall erect and maintain appropriate signs 5
designating such highway, with the costs to be paid by 6
private donations. 7