BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: scr 52
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: vargas
VERSION: 8/16/11
Analysis by: Mark Stivers FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: August 23, 2011
SUBJECT:
Highway and rest area namings
DESCRIPTION:
This resolution names one highway rest area and three segments
of highway for Caltrans Highway Maintenance Leadworker Jaime
Obeso, Caltrans Leadworker Gary Wayne Smith, and Caltrans
Equipment Operator II Richard Gonzalez.
ANALYSIS:
The committee has adopted a policy regarding the naming of state
highways or structures. Under the policy, the committee will
consider only those resolutions that meet all of the following
criteria:
The person being honored must have provided extraordinary
public service or some exemplary contribution to the public
good and have a connection to the community where the highway
is located;
The person being honored must be deceased;
The naming must be done without cost to the state. Costs for
signs and plaques must be paid by local or private sources;
The author or co-author of the measure must represent the
district in which the facility is located, and the measure
must identify the specific highway segment or structure being
named;
If the segment of highway is being named for a specific
individual or individuals, it must not exceed five miles in
length;
The proposed designation must reflect a community consensus
and be without local opposition; and
The proposed designation may not supersede an existing
designation unless the sponsor can document that a good faith
effort has uncovered no opposition to rescinding the prior
designation.
SCR 52 (VARGAS) Page 2
This resolution designates each of the following transportation
facilities:
1.The Sunbeam Rest Area as the Jaime Obeso Sunbeam Rest Area and
one quarter mile of State Highway Route (SR) 8 on each side of
the rest area in Imperial County as the Jaime Obeso Memorial
Highway.
2.The portion of SR 99 from Garner Lane to Broyles Road in Butte
County as the Caltrans Leadworker Gary Wayne Smith Memorial
Highway.
3.The portion of I-5 from Dairy Mart Road to I-905 in San Diego
County as the Caltrans Equipment Operator II Richard Gonzalez
Memorial Highway.
The resolution further requests Caltrans to erect appropriate
signs only upon receiving donations from non-state sources
sufficient to cover the cost.
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose of the resolution . The author introduced this
legislation to honor three Caltrans workers who lost their
lives in the line of duty. This resolution will also be a
reminder to motorists of the need to drive slowly and safely
in areas where highway workers are present.
2.Jaime Obeso . Jaime Obeso was born in El Centro and grew up in
Imperial, where he excelled in football and track during high
school, holding records in the pole vault and 4x100 relay.
Mr. Obeso's hobbies included working on air conditioners and
his new Jeep, fishing, finding a deal at the swap meet,
browsing eBay for the latest deals, and spending time with his
grandchildren and family. He was known for making breakfast
for his grandchildren every Sunday morning. Mr. Obeso worked
for H.E. Wiggins and Sons for many years and later gained
employment with Caltrans. He was known as a hard working
employee and received many awards during his service with
Caltrans. His last promotion was as a Leadworker with the El
Centro Travelway Crew. On June 7, 2011, an errant motorist
struck and killed Mr. Obeso while he was working on a stretch
of SR 8 near the Sunbeam Rest Area.
3.Gary Wayne Smith . Gary Wayne Smith was known as a
SCR 52 (VARGAS) Page 3
kind-natured individual who was never without a smile and who
helped many coworkers on the job. He began working for
Caltrans in 1978 and spent the majority of his career at the
Chico Maintenance Station, taking great pride in his work. On
November 14, 2010, a driver struck and killed Mr. Smith while
he was performing traffic control at the scene of a fatal
accident on SR 99 north of Chico.
4.Richard Gonzalez . Richard Gonzalez was an exemplary employee
whose passion outside of work was the restoration of classic
cars and serving as a mentor and role model to his family and
friends. He began working for Caltrans in July 2008 and was
assigned to the Special Programs Crew based in Chula Vista
near his home in San Ysidro. On June 20, 2011, the crew was
picking up trash near the I-15/SR 94 interchange when a driver
struck and killed Mr. Gonzalez.
5.Author amendments . The author will accept the following
amendments to conform to the committee's policy on highway
namings:
Shorten the designation for Mr. Smith to the segment of
SR 99 one mile north of its intersection with Wilson
Landing Road to Broyles Road in Butte County, a length of
less than five miles.
Move the designation for Mr. Gonzalez so as not to
overlap with an existing naming.
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the Committee before noon on
Wednesday, August
17, 2011)
SUPPORT: None received.
OPPOSED: None received.