Designates the "SGT Norbert Overkamp Jr Memorial Highway" in Montgomery County
If enacted, this bill will modify state law to formally recognize a specific highway in Montgomery County as a memorial site. It will add a new section to Chapter 227 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, which pertains to the designation of memorial highways. This type of legislation exemplifies the state's practice of commemorating individuals through the naming of public spaces, fostering a sense of local pride and remembrance.
House Bill 2662 proposes the designation of a portion of State Highway 19 in Montgomery County as the 'SGT Norbert Overkamp Jr Memorial Highway'. The bill outlines that this designation aims to honor the memory of SGT Norbert Overkamp Jr, a figure whom the highway is named after. The responsibility for the erection and maintenance of signage marking this highway will fall on the Department of Transportation, with costs to be covered by the department itself.
The bill is relatively straightforward in its intentions and purpose. However, similar legislation in the past may have faced scrutiny regarding the appropriateness of designating public infrastructure and the implications for local governance related to naming conventions. While there are seldom substantial points of contention associated with memorial designations, concerns may arise regarding the processes followed in selecting whom or what to memorialize on state properties.