ENSIGN FRANCIS FLAHERTY MEM. HWY H.B. 4337:
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 4337 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Angela Witwer
House Committee: Transportation, Mobility and Infrastructure
Senate Committee: Veterans and Emergency Services
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to rename the portion of highway currently designated as the "Ensign Francis Flaherty Memorial Highway" to the "Ensign Francis Flaherty Medal of Honor Recipient Memorial Highway". This portion of highway is Highway M-50 in Eaton County, beginning at the intersection of Highway M-50 and Highway I-69 and extending west to the intersection of Highway M-50 and Courthouse Drive.
Additionally, the bill would specify that if sufficient funds were received to pay the cost of erecting and maintaining suitable markers for the portion of Highway M-50 described above, those markers would have to be designed as followed:
-- On the first line, "Ensign Francis Flaherty".
-- On the second line, "Medal of Honor Recipient".
-- On the third line, "Memorial Highway".
BACKGROUND
Francis Charles Flaherty was born in Charlotte, Michigan, on March 15, 1919. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve in July of 1940 and was commissioned as an Ensign in December of that year. During the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Ensign Francis Flaherty was serving on the USS Oklahoma. As the ship capsized, Ensign Flaherty remained in a gun turret holding a flashlight to help others in the turret see and escape. He did not escape the ship and passed away. For his sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, which was presented to his brother on March 6, 1946.
Legislative Analyst: Alex Krabill
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
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.