SGT. RYAN J. PROXMIRE MEM. HWY H.B. 5720:
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 5720 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Julie Rogers
House Committee: Transportation
Senate Committee: Transportation and Infrastructure
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to designate the portion of Highway US-131 in Kalamazoo County beginning at West U Avenue and continuing north to mile marker 35 as the "Sergeant Ryan J. Proxmire Memorial Highway".
BACKGROUND
Sergeant Ryan J. Proxmire was born on October 7, 1981, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He graduated Three Rivers High School in 1999. Proxmire served with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office for over nine years as a road patrol officer. He was a field training officer, taser instructor, and subject control/defensive tactics instructor.
Proxmire died on August 15, 2021, of a gunshot wound. He was one of several deputies attempting to apprehend a suspect who had fled from Portage police. The suspect opened fired during the pursuit, shooting Proxmire and causing his vehicle to go off the road. Proxmire was rushed to the hospital but died the following day.
Legislative Analyst: Olivia Ponte
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government. The Act specifies that the Department of Transportation may provide for the erection and maintenance of markers designating the name of a highway only when sufficient private funds are available to cover the costs of erecting and maintaining those markers. As such, private funds would cover the cost of the renaming, and no State funds would be used.
Fiscal Analyst: Michael Siracuse
This 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.