NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A11290
SPONSOR: Rules (Smullen) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the highway law, in relation to dedicating a portion of
the state highway system to War Dogs
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Designates the portion of state route 28 from its intersection with
Canal Access Road to its intersection with state route 5 in the village
of Herkimer, county of Herkimer, as the "War Dog Memorial Highway".
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Section 1: Amends the highway law by adding a new section
344-p, which designates the portion of state route 28 in the village of
Herkimer, county of Herkimer, from its intersection with Canal Access
Road, continuing in a generally northerly direction, and terminating at
its intersection with state route 5, as the "War Dog Memorial Highway".
Section 2: States that the commissioner of transportation shall provide
for the installation and maintenance of adequate signing of the state
highway system as designated pursuant to section 1 of this act. The
designation will be for ceremonial purposes only, and the official name
of such highway will not be changed as a result of this act.
Section 3: Effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
War dogs and their handlers play an influential role in keeping our
country and state safe. This highway renaming will memorialize the life
of Sergeant Adam Cann and hi8 dog, Bruno. Sergeant Cann died while on
his second tour of duty in Iraq on January 5th, 2006. He was posthumous-
ly awarded a Purple Heart for giving his life for his country. Bruno
survived the suicide bomber attack, and he went on to train many other
war dogs. Most notably, he trained Rex, another war canine. Rex's life
is memorialized in the movie "Meagan Leavey", a film about the bond
between him and his Marine handler. The sacrifices of Sergeant Cann,
Bruno, and all other war dogs and handlers must not go unnoticed by the
people of New York and this Legislature. This highway renaming will, in
a small way, ensure that New Yorkers never forget the price of freedom
paid by these men, women, and dogs.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
This legislation would effectively have no fiscal impact on state and
local governments. The New York State Department of Transportation would
be required to develop signage to mark the bridge.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
11290
IN ASSEMBLY
May 8, 2026
___________
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Smullen) --
read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to dedicating a portion of
the state highway system to War Dogs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The highway law is amended by adding a new section 344-s to
2 read as follows:
3 § 344-s. Portion of the state highway system to be dedicated to War
4 Dogs. All that portion of the state highway system constituting state
5 route 28 in the village of Herkimer, county of Herkimer, beginning at
6 its intersection with Canal Access Road, continuing in a generally
7 northerly direction, and terminating at its intersection with state
8 route 5, shall be dedicated to War Dogs.
9 § 2. The commissioner of transportation shall provide for the instal-
10 lation and maintenance of adequate signing of the state highway system
11 as dedicated pursuant to section one of this act, provided that such
12 signing shall state "Highway Dedicated to War Dogs". However, to avoid
13 confusion and to limit any possible disruption of commerce, the dedi-
14 cation called for pursuant to section one of this act shall be one of
15 ceremonial nature and the official name of such highway shall not be
16 changed as a result of this act.
17 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00099-09-6
