H.C.R. 4

This document includes House Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Fri, Jan 20, 2006 at 5:23 PM by chopkin. --> This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Wed, Feb 1, 2006 at 4:12 PM by chopkin. --> This document includes Senate Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Mon, Feb 13, 2006 at 8:40 AM by rday. --> 1

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING UTAH HIGHWAY
2 PATROL USE OF WHITE CROSSES AS
3 ROADSIDE MEMORIALS
4 2006 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Paul Ray
7 Senate Sponsor: Darin G. Peterson
8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor supports the placement
12 of white crosses as roadside memorials to honor patrol officers killed in the line of duty.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 . expresses support for the Utah Highway Patrol's placement of white crosses S. , or
15a other appropriate symbols as requested by the family, .S as
16 memorials to Highway Patrol Officers who have been killed in the line of duty.
17 Special Clauses:
18 None
19
20 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
21 WHEREAS, since the creation of the Utah Highway Patrol in 1935, 14 Highway Patrol
22 officers have been killed in the line of duty;
23 WHEREAS, the 14 Utah Highway Patrolmen who have been killed in the line of duty
24 are Patrolman George "Ed" VanWagenen and Troopers Armond A. "Monty" Luke, George
25 Dee Rees, Charles D. Warren, John R. Winn, William J. Antoniewicz, Robert B. Hutchings,
26 Ray Lynn Pierson, Daniel W. Harris, Joseph "Joey" S. Brumett III, Dennis "Dee" Lund, Doyle
27 R. Thorne, Randy K. Ingram, and Thomas S. Rettberg;

28 WHEREAS, for the families of these officers who have paid the ultimate price for their
29 service, there is often very little that can be done to stem the tide of their grief and suffering, or
30 to help them move on with their lives;
31 WHEREAS, the families of these officers killed in the line of duty have been involved
32 in, and have supported, the creation of roadside memorials that are placed near the location of
33 the incidents that caused the deaths of their loved ones;
34 WHEREAS, each memorial represents a Utah Highway Patrol officer who died in the
35 line of duty and service to the state of Utah and its citizens;
35a H. WHEREAS, a white cross has become widely accepted as a symbol of a death, and
35b not a religious symbol, when placed along a highway; .H
36 WHEREAS, the memorials remind the citizens of Utah and this nation of the price that
37 is too often paid for safety and freedom;
38 WHEREAS, the memorials also console the family members left behind, who too often
39 consist of young mothers and young children;
40 WHEREAS, the primary feature of the memorials is a white cross, which was never
41 intended as a religious symbol, but as a symbol of the sacrifice made by these highway patrol
42 officers;
43 WHEREAS, the beehive emblem, which is also the official state emblem, is attached to
44 the cross because the emblem is worn as part of official Utah Highway Patrol uniform;
45 WHEREAS, the purchase and placement of these memorials has been accomplished
46 with private funds only; and
47 WHEREAS, given the heartfelt yet nonsectarian intentions of the memorials, removing
48 or tampering with them would clearly convey an absence of concern, respect, and recognition
49 of the sacrifices made by these officers and their families:
50 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
51 Governor concurring therein, express support for the Utah Highway Patrol's use of white
52 crosses H. , or other appropriate symbols as requested by the family, .H as roadside
52a memorials as a means to pay tribute to the heroes from the ranks of the
53 Utah Highway Patrol who have fallen and to their families.
54 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the surviving
55 spouse or nearest relative of each Utah Highway Patrol Officer who has been killed in the line
56 of duty and service to the citizens of Utah, the Utah Highway Patrol, and the Utah Highway
57 Patrol Association.

Legislative Review Note
as of 1-16-06 12:39 PM

Based on a limited legal review, this legislation has not been determined to have a high
probability of being held unconstitutional.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel