HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL HIGHWAY H.B. 4677: FIRST ANALYSIS






House Bill 4677 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative David Law
House Committee: Transportation
Senate Committee: Transportation


Date Completed: 5-18-05

RATIONALE


By the end of World War II in 1945, approximately 11.0 million people had perished in the Holocaust. The victims included 6.0 million Jews, and another 5.5 million non-Jews, among them 3.0 million Polish Christians, as well as Russians, Jehovah's Witnesses, Roma, homosexuals, the mentally ill, and the physically disabled. In order to commemorate the victims and remind people of this horrific episode in human history, it has been suggested that a portion of a road in Michigan be named the "Holocaust Memorial Highway".

CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to designate the part of M-10 in Oakland County between I-696 and Orchard Lake Road as the "Holocaust Memorial Highway".


Proposed MCL 250.1087

ARGUMENTS (Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)

Supporting Argument Upon arrival at concentration camps and death camps, prisoners' heads were shaved, their fillings extracted, and their bodies tattooed with a number. Some were the subjects of inhumane medical experiments. In addition to systemic murder, prisoners died of starvation, malnutrition, exhaustion, and disease. Society cannot afford to forget such a horrific time period, during which more than 11.0 million people-approximately the population of Michigan-died. It is critical to ensure that people, especially those of younger generations, to whom more recent tragedies such as the attacks of September 11, 2001, are more salient, understand the significance of the Holocaust. A designated road would serve as an enduring reminder to help ensure that the terrible events of the Holocaust are not repeated in the future. The portion of M-10 that would be designated the "Holocaust Memorial Highway" is located near the Holocaust Memorial Center on Orchard Lake Road in Farmington Hills.


Legislative Analyst: Julie Koval

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.


Fiscal Analyst: Craig Thiel

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4677/0506