LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
SENATE, No. 3449
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: AUGUST 6, 2025
SUMMARY
|
Synopsis: |
Renames Blue Star Memorial Highway Council as Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway Council; renames Blue Star Memorial Highway system as Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system. |
|
Type of Impact: |
One-year State expenditure increase. |
|
Agencies Affected: |
Department of Transportation. |
|
Office of Legislative Services Estimate |
||||
|
Fiscal Impact |
|
Year 1 |
|
|
|
State Expenditure Increase |
|
Indeterminate |
|
|
|
|
|
|||
· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) anticipates this bill will result in indeterminate increased expenditures for the State in the first year after enactment associated with updating road signage across the State to rename the Blue Star Memorial Highway system as the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system.
· The OLS is unable to quantify the expenditure increase that the Department of Transportation will incur to design, manufacture, and install the new signage because it is unknown how many signs the department will be required to replace.
· The OLS notes that each year the department provides $50,000 to the Blue Star Memorial Highway Council for maintenance of memorial signage and markers, with additional support being provided to local garden clubs as some memorial locations are not within the department’s jurisdiction.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill renames the Blue Star Memorial Highway Council as the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway Council and the Blue Star Memorial Highway system as the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system to recognize Gold Star families. The bill also requires the Department of Transportation, within 90 days of the bill’s effective date, to update all signage throughout the State concerning the Blue Star Memorial Highway system to reflect the highway system’s updated name, the “Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system.”
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS anticipates will result in indeterminate increased expenditures for the State in the first year after enactment associated with updating road signage across the State to rename the Blue Star Memorial Highway system as the Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system.
The bill requires the department, within 90 days of the bill’s effective date, to update all signage throughout the State concerning the Blue Star Memorial Highway system to reflect the highway systems updated name, the “Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system.” The OLS is unable to quantify the expenditure increase that the department will incur to design, manufacture, and install the new signage because it is unknown how many signs the department will be required to replace. Notably, the legislated highway system includes U.S. Route 22, Interstate Highway Route 78, Interstate Highway Route 80, and a section of Interstate Highway Route 287 and Interstate Highway Route 295.
Each year the department provides $50,000 to the council for maintenance of memorial signage and markers, with additional support being provided to local garden clubs as some memorial locations are not within the department’s jurisdiction. There are currently 43 Blue Star markers and two Gold Star markers within the State. Notably, 18 Blue Star markers are located within the department’s jurisdiction.
|
Section: |
Authorities, Utilities, Transportation and Communications |
|
Analyst: |
Associate Fiscal Analyst |
|
Approved: |
Thomas Koenig Legislative Budget and Finance Officer |
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).