BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: SCR 36
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: berryhill
VERSION: 4/16/13
Analysis by: Eric Thronson FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: May 7, 2013
SUBJECT:
Bill Whitehurst Memorial Highway
DESCRIPTION:
This resolution names State Highway Route (SR) 152 between its
intersections with State Highway Routes 233 and 99 in Madera
County as the Bill Whitehurst Memorial Highway.
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 resolution must represent the
district in which the facility is located, and the resolution
must identify the specific highway segment or structure being
named.
The segment of highway being named must not exceed five miles
in length.
The proposed designation must reflect a community consensus
and be without local opposition.
SCR 36 (BERRYHILL) Page 2
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.
This resolution designates SR 152 between its intersections with
SR 233 and SR 99 in Madera County as the Bill Whitehurst
Memorial Highway. 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 as a tribute
to the life of Bill Whitehurst, who spearheaded a drive to
make SR 152 safer between Los Banos and SR 99.
2.Background on Bill Whitehurst . William S. "Bill" Whitehurst
demonstrated a lifetime of public service and a commitment to
his community, beginning with his election to the Los Banos
City Council at 21 years of age. Mr. Whitehurst was selected
county campaign chairman for Governor Edmund G. Brown Sr's
1962 gubernatorial bid, as well as for John F. Kennedy in 1960
and Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 in their bids for the
presidency.
Governor Pat Brown appointed Mr. Whitehurst to the State
Highway Commission, where he served from 1963 to 1970. During
his time on the commission, he fought to turn SR 152 into a
four-lane highway to reduce traffic accidents along what was
known at the time as "blood alley."
Throughout his life, Mr. Whitehurst served on many community
boards and committees, including the American Cancer Society,
the Saint Agnes Medical Center, and the St. John's Cathedral
Restoration project. He received many prestigious honors,
including Citation of Merit from the Department of Veteran
Affairs and the Benemerenti medal from Pope John Paul II.
Mr. Whitehurst died at the age of 89 on January 3, 2012 in
Fresno. He is survived by his wife, four sons and one
daughter, five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and
one sister.
3.Consistent with the committee's policy . This resolution is
consistent with all of the provisions of the committee's
policy on highway designations.
SCR 36 (BERRYHILL) Page 3
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the Committee before noon on
Wednesday, May 1,
2013.)
SUPPORT: None received.
OPPOSED: None received.