Designating a portion of United States highway 77 as the POW MIA memorial highway and bridge No. 82-14-6.88 (026) in Clay county as the POW MIA memorial bridge.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Designates part of US-77 as the POW MIA Memorial Highway and a Kansas bridge as the POW MIA Memorial Bridge, with commemorative signs installed once donations cover the costs.

Died in Committee

#roadsandhighways

Summary — HB 2105 (POW MIA memorial highway and bridge — Kansas)

Status snapshot
- Introduced: January 27, 2025 (House Committee on Veterans and Military; requested by Rep. Bloom).
- Hearing: House Transportation Committee, Feb 4, 2025, 1:30 PM, Room 582‑N.
- House actions: First reading Feb 4; Passed House Mar 10, 2025; Transmitted to Senate Mar 10, 2025. Subsequent Senate and rules actions noted (see Procedural timeline).
- Related/companion measures: SB 465, SB 1333, HB 3274, HB 4223.

Purpose and intent
- To honor U.S. service members listed as Prisoners of War (POW) or Missing in Action (MIA) by designating a named memorial highway and a named memorial bridge in Kansas and requiring the placement of identifying signs.

Key provisions
1. Highway designation
- Designates the following portion of U.S. Highway 77 as the “POW MIA Memorial Highway”:
- From its junction with I‑70, north on U.S. 77 in Geary County to the western junction with U.S. 24 in Riley County; then north on U.S. 77 from the eastern junction with U.S. 24 to the junction with K‑16.
- Directs the Secretary of Transportation to place suitable signs along the highway right‑of‑way at proper intervals to indicate the designation, upon compliance with statutory sign‑placement requirements (K.S.A. 68‑10,114 and amendments).

Bridge designation

Designates Bridge No. 82‑14‑6.88 (026), located on K‑82 in Clay County, as the “POW MIA Memorial Bridge.”
Similarly requires placement of suitable signs to indicate the bridge designation, subject to the same statutory procedures.

Fiscal impact and implementation
- Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) estimate:
- Six signs total (four for the highway, two for the bridge).
- Unit cost: $2,330 per sign; total manufacture/installation cost = $13,980.
- Current law requires sufficient gifts/donations to reimburse KDOT’s initial cost plus an additional 50% to cover future maintenance. Therefore:
- Donations required = $13,980 + 50% = $20,970.
- KDOT indicates implementation would require an increase of $13,980 to the agency operations account expenditure limitation in FY 2026 (the FY 2026 Governor’s Budget Report did not reflect this).
- Signs will not be installed by KDOT until required donations/gifts have been received in accordance with statute.

Who is affected
- Direct: Kansas Department of Transportation (responsible for signage), donors or veterans’ groups likely to raise funds for sign installation, and local jurisdictions (Geary, Riley, Clay counties) where the designations are located.
- Indirect: motorists, veterans, families and communities who will see and benefit from the memorial designations.

Procedural/timeline notes
- The act includes an effective clause: it takes effect and is in force from and after its publication in the statute book (standard for Kansas acts).
- House and Senate procedural history includes committee referrals, readings, and scheduling entries; after House passage the bill proceeded to the Senate and experienced further calendaring and rules activity.

Notes
- Multiple states use the label “HB 2105”; this summary addresses the Kansas measure designating the POW MIA memorial highway and bridge, as described in the provided bill and fiscal note.