HOSPITAL SIGNS ON HIGHWAYS - S.B. 396: ENROLLED ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 396 (as enrolled) - PUBLIC ACT 47 of 2001
Sponsor: Senator Thaddeus G. McCotter
Senate Committee: Transportation and Tourism
House Committee: Transportation
Date Completed: 7-30-01
RATIONALE
Traffic signs are placed along, beside, or above a highway, roadway, pathway, or other route to guide, warn, and regulate the flow of traffic, including motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and other travelers. Blue traffic signs with white lettering tell motorists about services and give guidance. A blue sign with a white "H" indicates that a hospital is located at the next exit. Some people believe that an additional sign indicating the hospital's name and location would be beneficial in alerting motorists to the presence of a hospital.
CONTENT
The bill amended Public Act 205 of 1941, which provides for the construction and maintenance of limited access highways, to require the Department of Transportation, at the request of a hospital that provides 24-hour emergency care, to place and maintain on all limited access highways signs indicating exits that are within two miles of the hospital.
The signs must indicate the hospital's name or the name of the nonprofit corporation that owns or operates the hospital and the exit number of the exit that is within two miles of the hospital. At least one sign must be placed for each exit that is within two miles of a requesting hospital that provides 24-hour emergency care. The cost of placing and maintaining the sign must be paid by the hospital requesting it.
The Department must adopt guidelines specifying the size, shape, design, number, and placement of the signs authorized under the bill.
The Department may not remove signs on limited access highways that exist on the bill's effective date and that indicate exits within 10 miles of a hospital that provides 24-hour emergency care but that do not otherwise satisfy the bill's requirements.
MCL 252.52
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
The placement of signs on limited access highways indicating the name and exit numbers of hospitals that provide 24-hour emergency care, will alert motorists to the presence of these facilities in their area. By requiring the Department to install these signs at the request of the hospitals, the bill may help people find medical care in a timely manner.
Opposing Argument
A national standard sign notifying motorists of a nearby hospital is already available. The excess use of signs in a given location may reduce the effectiveness of all the signs at that location.
- Legislative Analyst: N. Nagata
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill will not have any fiscal impact on State or local government.
According to the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services, there are 174 hospitals that could require signage. If satellite locations are taken into consideration, over 250 locations may request signage.
- Fiscal Analyst: C. ThielA0102\s396ea
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.