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Committee advances several memorial highway namings; refers two bills to rules committee
Summary
The committee heard multiple road- and highway-naming measures and formally reported Senate Bill 148 and Senate Bill 95 to the committee on rules and reference (roll-call votes recorded).
The Senate Transportation Committee took testimony on multiple measures to designate portions of roadways as memorial highways and took formal committee action to report two bills to the committee on rules and reference.
Naming bills and testimony: - Senator Andrew Brenner presented sponsor testimony on Senate Bill 119 to designate portions of U.S. 36 and State Route 37 as "Freedom Parkway," citing the Ohio Fallen Heroes Memorial near Sunbury and urging the committee’s support.
- Denny Sellers testified in support of Senate Bill 148, asking the committee to name a portion of State Route 2 as the Specialist Lloyd Andrew Sellers Memorial Highway in Lake County and describing his father's military service and honors. Denny Sellers said he had worked with Senator Cerino's office to advance the initiative.
- Representatives Kings and Klopfenstein presented sponsor testimony on House Bill 51 to name a portion of U.S. Route 33 in memory of Highway Patrol Lieutenant James Kuykendall. Representative King and Representative Klopfenstein described Kuykendall’s service and the location tied to his line-of-duty death.
- Representative King presented sponsor testimony on House Bill 50 to designate a portion of State Route 47 in Darke County as Private First Class John Wayne Richard Memorial Highway and described Richard’s service in Vietnam and the purpose of the memorial.
Committee actions and roll-call votes: - Senator Schaeffer moved to report Senate Bill 148 to the committee on rules and reference; the clerk called the roll. The roll call in the transcript shows Chair Patton, Vice Chair Schaeffer, Ranking Member Antonio, Senator Chavez, Senator Reineke, Senator Smith and Senator Timken each voting "Yes." The motion carried and the committee referred Senate Bill 148 to Rules and Reference.
- Senator Schaeffer then moved to report Senate Bill 95 to the committee on rules and reference. The clerk called the roll and the transcript records the same members voting "Yes." The motion carried and the committee referred Senate Bill 95 to Rules and Reference.
Administrative note: At the start of the session the committee approved minutes from 03/26/2025 with no objections.
Why it matters: Naming highways after fallen service members and local figures is a routine legislative action that memorializes service and sacrifices; the committee advanced two bills to the rules committee by recorded roll-call votes.
