BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: SCR 4
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: Fuller
VERSION: 3/6/13
Analysis by: Carrie Cornwell FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: April 2, 2013
SUBJECT:
Vernon P. Valenzuela Memorial Highway
DESCRIPTION:
This resolution names a portion of State Highway Route (SR) 204
in Kern County as the
Vernon P. Valenzuela Memorial Highway.
ANALYSIS:
In previous sessions, the committee has adopted a policy
regarding the naming of state highways or structures. Adoption
of this policy for the 2013-14 session is also on the
committee's agenda today. 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.
SCR 4 (FULLER) Page 2
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 designation.
This resolution designates the portion of SR 204 between F
Street and Q Street in the City of Bakersfield as the Vernon P.
Valenzuela 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 to honor the
life and service of Vernon P. Valenzuela.
2.Background on Vernon P. Valenzuela . Born in 1949, Vernon P.
Valenzuela grew up in Bakersfield and in 1966 left high school
to join the U.S. Army. He served in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968.
After he was wounded in 1968, the Army honorably discharged
him from service, and Mr. Valenzuela returned to Bakersfield.
Once home he became the first member of his family to attend
college and graduated from California State University
Bakersfield in 1975. Two years later he received a master's
degree in counseling. Mr. Valenzuela's counseling practice
focused on serving veterans with post-traumatic stress
disorder. In addition, he became active in the Vietnam
Veterans of America at the local, state, and national levels,
and throughout his life remained an advocate for community
services for veterans both in Bakersfield and throughout the
country. Mr. Valenzuela passed away in March 2012. He is
survived by his wife, Lise, and their three grown children,
Robert, Alison, and Katie.
3.Consistent with the committee's historic policy . This
resolution is consistent with all of the provisions of the
committee's policy on highway designations, which is on the
agenda today for the committee to consider adopting for the
2013-14 legislative session.
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday, March 27,
SCR 4 (FULLER) Page 3
2013.)
SUPPORT: American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees
OPPOSED: None received.