What's happening
This bill designates a portion of State Route 37 in Lisbon as the "Charles 'Chuck' Kelly Memorial Highway."
Why it matters
Honors Local Impact. By designating a stretch of highway after Charles "Chuck" Kelly, the bill seeks to publicly recognize an individual who likely made significant contributions to the Lisbon community or region, reinforcing community values and local history.
Preserves Navigation and Commerce. The naming is explicitly ceremonial, meaning maps, addresses, and official documents will still use the existing highway name, ensuring there’s no confusion for drivers, emergency services, or businesses along this route.
State Investment in Memorialization. The bill directs the Department of Transportation to install and maintain signage, demonstrating a willingness to use state resources to honor residents and potentially increasing local pride or tourism in the area.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Name Highway for Chuck Kelly
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.156
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.495
- Substituted for A6560A
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1334
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Print number 1827a
Show 2 earlier actions
- Amend and recommit to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Name Highway for Chuck Kelly
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Mark Walczyk
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1827--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 16, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to designating a portion of the state highway system as the "Charles 'Chuck' Kelly Memorial Highway"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The highway law is amended by adding a new section 344-k to read as follows:
§ 344-k. Portion of the state highway system to be designated as the "Charles 'Chuck' Kelly Memorial Highway". All that portion of the state highway system constituting state route thirty-seven from the intersection of state route thirty-seven and New York Avenue to the intersection of state route thirty-seven and county route twenty-eight in the town of Lisbon, shall be designated and known as the "Charles 'Chuck' Kelly Memorial Highway".
§ 2. The commissioner of transportation shall provide for the installation and maintenance of adequate signing of the state highway system as designated pursuant to section one of this act. However, to avoid confusion and to limit any possible disruption of commerce, the designation called for pursuant to section one of this act shall be one of ceremonial nature and the official name of such highway shall not be changed as a result of this act.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07960-02-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the highway law, in relation to desig- nating a portion of the state highway system as the "Charles 'Chuck' Kelly Memorial Highway"
Purpose
This bill acknowledges the life and contributions of Charles Kelly to his community and renames a portion of the state highway system to honor him
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the highway law by adding a new section 344-k which designates all that portion of the state highway system constituting state route thirty-seven from the intersection of state route thirty- seven and New York Avenue to the intersection of state route thirty-sev- en and county route twenty-eight in the town of Lisbon as the "Charles 'Chuck' Kelly Memorial Highway"
Section 2 designates the commissioner of transportation as the provider for the installation and maintenance of adequate signing and stipulates that this designation is ceremonial in nature and the official name of such highway shall not be changed.
Section 3 provides that the act shall take effect immediately
Justification
When Ogdensburg's Charles W. "Chuck" Kelly passed away on Sunday, Octo- ber 21, the people of the North Country lost a great leader, friend and unparalleled advocate for the region. He was a man who spent his entire career fighting for the people of St. Lawrence County as if each of them were a member of his family.
Chuck-who was known by many as "Mr. Ogdensburg"-spent 56 years in the journalism industry, working each day of his career for his readers- helping to keep them knowledgeable about issues impacting their lives and serving to keep government accountable.
Mr. Kelly used his journalistic skills along with relationships he cultivated with state and local leaders to help grow Ogdensburg. He will perhaps best be remembered for efforts to locate new state correctional facilities in the city, as well as for his work to keep the Ogdensburg Correctional Facility from closing in 2011, and successfully fighting alongside other local leaders to prevent the closure of the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center in 2013.
Known throughout the North Country not only for his leadership, but also his compassion for others, it was not uncommon for Mr. Kelly to visit people at St. Joseph's nursing home, or for him to personally deliver newspapers to those who called to say their copy was missing. The list of organizations Mr. Kelly donated his time to is seemingly endless, as is the list of accolades he received for his role in the community as a public servant.
A U.S. Army veteran who served in Bamberg, Germany and Orleans, France, Mr. Kelly was someone who knew the meaning of service and sacrifice. He was a mentor for many-especially young reporters-and an example of dedi- cation, empathy and leadership for all to follow.
The name Charles W. "Chuck" Kelly is synonymous with the City of Ogdens- burg. He will forever be remembered for his contributions to the North Country and the region is surely a better place because of his tireless efforts on behalf of those who live there. It is only fitting that we rename a portion of New York State Route 37 in his honor not only as a tribute to his memory, but also so that people never forget his example and are inspired to follow in his footsteps to make the North Country a better place.
Legislative history
2018: S. 9187.
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
The act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.