Ohio House Transportation Committee backs three memorial highway bills honoring service members

The Ohio House Transportation Committee on May 6 unanimously recommended three separate bills to designate stretches of state highways and an interstate as memorials to fallen service members.

Representative Jean Schmidt introduced House Bill 171 to designate part of State Route 28 as the Captain Louis John Bridal Memorial Highway. "I ask for your full support of this bill," Schmidt said during sponsor testimony.

Representative Sharon Ray presented House Bill 56 to name a portion of State Route 421 the Corporal David James Amheuser Memorial Highway. Representative Josh Williams and Representative Elgin Rogers jointly sponsored House Bill 228 to designate lanes of Interstate 280 in Lucas County as the Staff Sergeant Jack W. Coy Veterans Memorial Highway.

The committee heard brief sponsor testimony for each bill highlighting the service records and family connections of the honorees. Schmidt described Bridal's West Point graduation, airborne and ranger training and service as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Ray said Corporal Amheuser, who grew up on a family farm adjacent to the proposed highway segment, "answered his country's call and paid with his life." Williams and Rogers recounted Staff Sergeant Coy's World War II service, the recovery and identification of his remains by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and the family's desire for a local memorial.

Committee members responded with remarks about the symbolic importance of road namings. Vice Chair Daniels moved that each bill be favorably reported for passage; the motions carried by unanimous roll call votes. Committee leadership reminded members to sign the roll, which would remain open until 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

The measures now move out of committee with recommendations for favorable passage before consideration by the full House. There were no amendments or committee conditions attached during the committee actions reported at this hearing.