To enact section 5534.855 of the Revised Code to designate a portion of State Route 49 in Darke county as the "PFC James Vincent PottKotter Memorial Highway."
Summary
HB497 is a roadway naming bill that creates a new section of the Revised Code to designate the northbound and southbound lanes of State Route 49 in Darke County, between Rossburg-Lightsville Road and McFeeley-Petry Road, as the "PFC James Vincent PottKotter Memorial Highway." The bill is a memorial designation honoring Private First Class James Vincent PottKotter and applies to a specific portion of state highway infrastructure in Ohio.
The bill also authorizes the Director of Transportation to erect suitable markers along the highway to display the memorial name. Aside from this naming and signage authority, the measure does not change traffic rules, funding formulas, or other substantive transportation policy. Its legal effect is limited to adding a commemorative highway designation to the Revised Code.
Impact
HB497 would amend Ohio law by adding section 5534.855 to the Revised Code, creating an official memorial highway designation for a segment of State Route 49 in Darke County. The practical impact is limited to the Ohio Department of Transportation’s ability to place signs or markers recognizing the designation; it does not alter ownership, maintenance responsibilities, or roadway operations, and it does not impose new obligations on drivers, local governments, or state agencies beyond signage.
Sentiment
Based on the available record, the bill appears to be noncontroversial and ceremonial in nature. It was introduced and referred to the House Transportation Committee, with no recorded votes or committee testimony provided in the materials. Measures of this type are typically supported as tributes to service members and local honorees, and there is no indication in the record of organized opposition or partisan disagreement.
Contention
There are no specific points of contention reflected in the provided transcripts or voting history. Because the bill is a memorial highway designation, any debate would likely center on the appropriateness of the honor, the exact roadway segment selected, or the proliferation of named highways, but none of those issues are documented here. The available information shows only introduction and committee referral, suggesting the bill had not yet generated visible controversy.
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