Bill Text: NJ S2091 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates mile 22 of State Highway Route 9 in Dennis Township as "Charles Richard Ingram III and the Fallen Veterans of Suicide Memorial Mile."
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-16 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Transportation Committee [S2091 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S2091-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator CHRIS A. BROWN
District 2 (Atlantic)
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Testa
SYNOPSIS
Designates mile 22 of State Highway Route 9 in Dennis Township as "Charles Richard Ingram III and the Fallen Veterans of Suicide Memorial Mile."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act designating mile 22 of State Highway Route 9 in the Township of Dennis as the "Charles Richard Ingram III and the Fallen Veterans of Suicide Memorial Mile."
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
Whereas, Charles Richard "Rich" Ingram III was a veteran of the United States Navy; and
Whereas, Mr. Ingram served aboard the U.S.S. Blue Back submarine from 1985 to 1992, until he transferred to the U.S. Naval Reserve; and
Whereas, After leaving the Navy, Mr. Ingram worked as an electrical and mechanical equipment repairman and raised a family in the Township of Egg Harbor; and
Whereas, On March 16, 2016, Mr. Ingram tragically took his life after months of delays and canceled medical appointments while awaiting adequate mental health care from the United States Veterans Administration (VA); and
Whereas, Mr. Ingram represents an increasing number of veterans who are tragically taking their own lives due to inadequate Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder diagnoses or lack of access to mental health care; and
Whereas, According to the VA, in 2017, on average 22 veterans committed suicide every day; and
Whereas, To honor the 22 fallen veterans who could be saved with proper access to adequate mental health care, it is fitting and proper that Charles Richard Ingram III and all of the fallen veterans of suicide be remembered by designating mile 22 of State Highway Route 9 in the Township of Dennis as the "Charles Richard Ingram III and the Fallen Veterans of Suicide Memorial Mile"; now, therefore,
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Commissioner of Transportation shall designate the portion of State Highway Route 9, at milepost 22, in the Township of Dennis as the "Charles Richard Ingram III and the Fallen Veterans of Suicide Memorial Mile" and erect appropriate signs bearing this designation and dedication.
2. State or other public funds shall not be used for producing, purchasing, or erecting signs bearing the designation established pursuant to section 1 of this act. The Commissioner of Transportation is authorized to receive gifts, grants, or other financial assistance from private sources for the purpose of funding or reimbursing the Department of Transportation for the costs associated with producing, purchasing, erecting, and maintaining signs bearing the designation established pursuant to section 1 of this act and entering into agreements related thereto, with private sources, including, but not limited to, non-governmental non-profit, educational, or charitable entities or institutions. Work shall not proceed and funding shall not be accepted by the Department of Transportation until an agreement has been reached with a responsible party for paying the costs associated with producing, purchasing, erecting, and maintaining the signs.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill designates mile 22 of State Highway Route 9, in the Township of Dennis, as the "Charles Richard Ingram III and the Fallen Veterans of Suicide Memorial Mile" to honor the memory of Charles Richard Ingram III, a U.S. Navy veteran who tragically committed suicide, and the 22 veterans on average who commit suicide each day.
Consistent with Department of Transportation policy and other road designations, the bill provides that State or other public funds are not to be used for producing, purchasing, or erecting signs bearing the designation for the "Charles Richard Ingram III and the Fallen Veterans of Suicide Memorial Mile." The Commissioner of Transportation is authorized to receive financial assistance from private sources for the costs associated with producing, purchasing, erecting, and maintaining signs bearing the designation.
