SENATE AMENDED

 

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2335

PRINTER'S NO.  4384

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

1799

Session of

2009

  

  

INTRODUCED BY WHITE, SOLOBAY, BISHOP, GRUCELA, HELM, KORTZ, MILLARD, PALLONE, PRESTON, SWANGER, READSHAW, MOUL, SANTONI, PAYNE, SIPTROTH, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, DONATUCCI, BELFANTI, VULAKOVICH, TALLMAN, SEIP, PASHINSKI, MANN, BRADFORD, GIBBONS, CALTAGIRONE, CASORIO, CONKLIN, HESS, PHILLIPS AND MAHER, JUNE 30, 2009

  

  

AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, SEPTEMBER 28, 2010   

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Designating the interchange at Exit 48 of Interstate 79 in

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Washington County as the Purple Heart Interchange; 

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designating a bridge located on that portion of S.R. 3001

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over the Chest Creek, Mahaffey, Clearfield County, as the

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Sergeant Major Morton Shea Landy Memorial Bridge; designating

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the Donora-Webster Bridge in Donora, Washington County, as

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the Lieutenant Governor Ernest P. Kline Memorial Bridge;

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designating a bridge on that portion of S.R. 130 over the

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Norfolk Southern rail lines, Trafford Borough, Allegheny and

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Westmoreland Counties, as the Trafford Veterans Memorial

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Bridge; and designating the interchange of Business Route 60

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with Thorn Run Road in Moon Township, Allegheny County, as

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the Robert E. Harper Interchange.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  The Purple Heart Interchange.

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(a)  Declaration of policy.-–The General Assembly finds and

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declares as follows:

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(1)  The Purple Heart is awarded, in the name of the

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President of the United States, to any member of the armed

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forces who has been wounded or killed while serving, on or

 


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after April 5, 1917, with the United States Armed Forces.

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(2)  In 2005, The United States Department of Veterans

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Affairs established the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies,

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which is located in close proximity to Exit 48 (Southpointe)

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of Interstate 79 in Washington County.

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(b)  Designation.--Exit 48 (Southpointe) of Interstate 79 in

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Washington County, in both directions, is hereby designated as

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the Purple Heart Interchange.

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(c)  Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall, in

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appropriate locations, erect and maintain signs displaying the

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name designated under subsection (b).

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Section 2.  Sergeant Major Morton Shea Landy Memorial Bridge.

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(a)  Findings and declarations.--The General Assembly finds

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and declares as follows:

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(1)  Morton Shea Landy of Mahaffey entered the United

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States Marine Corps in 1946.

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(2)  He was a highly decorated veteran. When he retired

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after serving 32 years and 30 days he had attained the rank

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of Sergeant Major and was only the second person to serve two

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years beyond the 30-year limit.

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(3)  He received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with

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"V" for valor.

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(b)  Designation.--The bridge located on S.R. 3001 in

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Mahaffey, Clearfield County, over the Chest Creek is hereby

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designated the Sergeant Major Morton Shea Landy Memorial Bridge.

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(c)  Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and

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maintain appropriate signs displaying the name designated under

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subsection (a) to traffic in both directions on the bridge.

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Section 3.  Lieutenant Governor Ernest P. Kline Memorial Bridge.

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(a)  Findings and declarations.--The General Assembly finds

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and declares as follows:

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(1)  Ernie Kline was born on June 20, 1929, in Allentown.

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(2)  Ernie Kline graduated from Rostraver High School in

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1947.

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(3)  After graduation, Ernie Kline settled in Beaver

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Falls, Beaver County, where he won a seat on the Beaver Falls

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City Council in 1955.

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(4)  Ernie Kline was elected in 1964 to represent Beaver

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and Lawrence Counties in the Pennsylvania Senate. He served

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in this position for six years. He was elected to be the

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Senate Minority Leader in 1967.

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(5)  Ernie Kline was elected the 25th Lieutenant Governor

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of Pennsylvania under Milton Shapp in 1970. In 1974, he

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became the first lieutenant governor to be re-elected to a

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second term. He served as the Lieutenant Governor until his

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second term expired in 1979.

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(6)  Upon leaving public office, Ernie Kline established

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a government relations firm where he worked until his death

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on May 13, 2009.

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(b)  Designation.--The bridge carrying Route 1022 across the

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Monongahela River and the Norfolk Southern and CSX Rail Line

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between Donora, Washington County, and Webster, Westmoreland

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County, is hereby designated the Lieutenant Governor Ernest P.

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Kline Memorial Bridge.

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(c)  Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and

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maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the bridge to

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traffic in both directions on the bridge.

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Section 4.  Trafford Veterans Memorial Bridge.

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(a)  Designation.--The bridge that carries S.R. 130 in

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Trafford Borough, Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties, over the

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Norfolk Southern rail lines is hereby designated the Trafford

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Veterans Memorial Bridge.

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(b)  Signs.–-The Department of Transportation shall erect and

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maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the bridge to

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traffic in both directions on the bridge.

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Section 5.  Robert E. Harper Interchange.

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(a)  Declaration of policy.--The General Assembly finds and

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declares as follows:

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(1)  Robert Ernest Harper was born and raised in

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Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Coraopolis High

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School in 1964 where he played baseball, played trumpet in

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the marching band and punted for the football team.

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(2)  Mr. Harper graduated from the University of

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Pittsburgh in 1968 with a degree in economics.

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(3)  Mr. Harper served honorably as a first lieutenant in

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Vietnam as a combat rifle platoon leader. Upon leaving the

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Army, he returned home and was conferred a law degree by the

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University of Pittsburgh in 1974 and began his legal career

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with Alter, Wright and Baron. He then served as a managing

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partner at Springer, Bush and Perry before joining Tucker

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Arensberg to manage the firm's airport office. He practiced

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law for 36 years.

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(4)  Mr. Harper served as Moon Township supervisor from

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1980 to 1983 and was active in numerous civic organizations

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where he selflessly worked to improve the community for

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future generations. He was instrumental in bringing

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infrastructure improvements to the township and was

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responsible for bringing Montour Heights Country Club to its

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current location on Coraopolis Heights Road.

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(5)  Mr. Harper was a lifelong member of the Coraopolis

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United Methodist Church where he served as a congregational

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lay leader, singer in the choir and active participant in the

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life of the church. In addition, he served as the chairman of

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the United Methodist Foundation of Western Pennsylvania.

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(6)  Mr. Harper is survived by his loving wife of 38

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years, Barbara; three sons, Robert Evan (Caitlin), Reid

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Andrew and James Randall; and a granddaughter, Margaret Ruth.

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He also leaves behind a brother, Jack, and was preceded in

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death by his parents, Harold and Ruth Harper.

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(b)  Designation.--Business Route 60 at Thorn Run Road in

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Moon Township, Allegheny County, is hereby designated as the

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Robert E. Harper Interchange.

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(c)  Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and

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maintain appropriate signs to indicate the designation under

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subsection (b).

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Section 2 6.  Effective date.

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This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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