BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: ACR 97
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: Bigelow
VERSION: 2/13/14
Analysis by: Carrie Cornwell FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: May 6, 2014
SUBJECT:
Staff Sergeant Sky R. Mote Memorial Overcrossing
DESCRIPTION:
This resolution names the overcrossing that spans State Route
(SR) 50 at Ray Lawyer Drive in El Dorado County as the Staff
Sergeant Sky R. Mote Memorial Overcrossing.
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.
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
ACR 97 (BIGELOW) Page 2
designation.
This resolution designates the overcrossing that spans SR 50 at
Ray Lawyer Drive at the El Dorado County Veterans Memorial as
the Staff Sergeant Sky R. Mote Memorial Overcrossing. The
resolution further requests that the Department of
Transportation erect appropriate signs upon receiving donations
from non-state sources to cover the costs.
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose . The author introduced this resolution to honor the
life and military service of Sky R. Mote.
2.Background on Staff Sergeant Sky R. Mote . Born in Bishop,
California, and raised in the town of El Dorado near
Placerville, Sky Mote spoke from a young age of joining the
military in part because of his love for airplanes and a
desire to work with them. He graduated from Union Mine High
School in 2003 and joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He served in
the Marines for nine years, including two deployments to Iraq
where he worked as a bomb-disposal specialist and two to
Afghanistan to work with the Marine Special Forces.
While deployed to Afghanistan with the 1st Marine Special
Operations Battalion, on August 10, 2012, Mote's battalion
received heavy fire from an Afghan uniformed police officer
who was attacking from within a tactical operations center.
During the attack, Staff Sergeant Mote boldly remained in the
open and engaged the shooter to safeguard his fellow Marines,
but was mortally wounded.
Staff Sergeant Mote received a Purple Heart, a Navy-Marine
Corps Commendation Medal, a Navy-Marine Corps Achievement
Medal, two Combat Action Ribbons, and three Good Conduct
Medals.
3.Consistent with the committee's policy . This resolution is
consistent with all the provisions of the committee's policy
on highway designations.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 77-0
Appr: 17-0
ACR 97 (BIGELOW) Page 3
Trans: 14-0
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday, April 30,
2014.)
SUPPORT: California Police Chiefs Association
OPPOSED: None received.