AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 24-01 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to designating the bridge on state highway 6 as the CPL Raymond Porter Korea bridge; to provide a continuing appropriation; and to declare an emergency.
Summary
HB 1426 designates the bridge on state highway 6, between county road 137 and 53rd Street, as the “CPL Raymond Porter Korea bridge.” The bill directs the North Dakota Department of Transportation to place signs marking the bridge with that name.
The bill also allows the department to accept donated signs or donated funds for the signage. Any donated funds are placed into a continuing appropriation, meaning they are available to the department on an ongoing basis for the limited purpose of installing and maintaining the bridge signs. The act is declared an emergency measure, so it takes effect immediately upon enactment rather than waiting for the normal effective date.
Impact
HB 1426 creates a new section in chapter 24-01 of the North Dakota Century Code and imposes a specific naming and signage duty on the Department of Transportation for one bridge on state highway 6. It does not alter broader transportation policy, but it does create a permanent statutory memorial designation and authorizes a continuing appropriation tied to donated funds for signage costs. The affected parties are the Department of Transportation, donors who may contribute funds or signs, and the traveling public who will see the new bridge designation.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the House and Senate with unanimous or near-unanimous votes, and the recorded votes show no opposition in either chamber. The lack of committee transcript material also suggests there was little public dispute or extended debate around the measure.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the available record. The only potentially notable policy point is the continuing appropriation, which is sometimes scrutinized in other contexts, but no opposition is reflected in the votes or bill history here. The measure is primarily a commemorative naming bill honoring CPL Raymond Porter’s service in the Korea era, and the legislative record suggests that recognition was broadly accepted.