PRINTER'S NO. 1817
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1431
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY MASSER, GOODMAN, SCHLEGEL CULVER, HENNESSEY,
TOOHIL, YOUNGBLOOD, SAMUELSON, DERMODY, PETRARCA,
CALTAGIRONE, THOMAS, HELM, MALONEY, READSHAW, DiGIROLAMO,
MILLARD, SAINATO, O'BRIEN, CAUSER, WHEELAND, WARD, MARSICO,
FREEMAN, A. HARRIS, D. COSTA, SAYLOR, PETRI AND DeLUCA,
MAY 23, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MAY 23, 2017
AN ACT
Designating a portion of State Routes 54, 901 and 2023 in
Northumberland County and Schuylkill County as the Honorable
Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., Memorial Highway.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Honorable Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., Memorial Highway.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) The Honorable Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., represented
the 107th Legislative District, covering portions of
Columbia, Montour, Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties
from 1981 to 2010.
(2) During his 30 years in the House of Representatives,
Representative Belfanti served on numerous committees and was
chairperson of the Labor Relations Committee from 1993 to
2010.
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(3) Representative Belfanti was active on numerous State
boards and commissions and championed workers, small
businesses, veterans and improved accessibility for the
disabled.
(4) Representative Belfanti attended Mount Carmel area
schools and was a lifelong scout, earning the rank of Eagle
Scout in 1962 and returning to scouting as an adult as a
charter member of Cub Scout Pack 3178.
(5) Representative Belfanti and his wife, Cecilia, were
instrumental in bringing scouting back to the Mount Carmel
area following a long dormancy, and Representative Belfanti
received numerous awards during his 25 years of service.
(6) Before becoming a State Representative,
Representative Belfanti enlisted in the United States Marine
Corps and served a 13-month tour of duty in the Vietnam War
with helicopter units that supplied troops, ammunition and
medical supplies to Marines and rescued the wounded.
(7) Representative Belfanti rose to the rank of sergeant
and was highly decorated when he was honorably discharged in
1971.
(8) Representative Belfanti was active in numerous
veteran organizations and cofounded the Black Diamond
Detachment of the Marine Corps League.
(9) Representative Belfanti's legacy includes saving the
former Shamokin State General Hospital from divestiture, the
opening of State Correctional Institution Coal Township,
resolving issues related to the Centralia mine fire, the
Shamokin Creek project, championing numerous abandoned mine
reclamation projects and helping with many rail improvement
and economic development projects in the district.
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(10) Representative Belfanti was also instrumental in
securing funding for the State Route 901 widening project
from Locust Summit to Interstate 81, as well as the Strong
Connector improvement project.
(b) Designation.--The portion of State Routes 54 and 901 in
Northumberland County and Schuylkill County from the
intersection of State Route 54, State Route 901 and State Route
2023, also known as the Mount Carmel Merriam Highway, in Mount
Carmel Township, Northumberland County, to the intersection of
State Route 901, also known as Fairgrounds Road, and High Road
in Butler Township, Schuylkill County, is hereby designated as
the Honorable Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., Memorial Highway.
(c) Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and
maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the highway to
traffic in both directions on the highway.
Section 2. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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