SCR 64, as introduced, Roth. Sergeant Gilbert Cortez, Sr. and K-9 Mattie Memorial Highway.
This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway Route 15 in the County of Riverside as the Sergeant Gilbert Cortez, Sr. and K-9 Mattie Memorial Highway. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering the cost, to erect those signs.
Fiscal committee: yes.
P1 1WHEREAS, Gilbert Cortez, Sr. was born on October 4, 1966;
2and
3WHEREAS, Mr. Cortez was raised in the City of Norco and
4attended Norco High School, where he played baseball; and
5WHEREAS, On September 17, 1990, Mr. Cortez began his
6career with the California Department of Corrections and
7Rehabilitation; and
8WHEREAS, Mr. Cortez was first assigned to the California
9Institution for Men in Chino and then transferred to Calipatria
10State Prison on October 29, 1992, where he became part of the
11Investigative Services Unit; and
12WHEREAS, While at Calipatria State Prison, Mr. Cortez was
13promoted to the rank of Sergeant; and
P2 1WHEREAS, Sergeant Cortez then transferred to the California
2Rehabilitation Center on October 29, 2001, to return to his
3hometown of Norco; and
4WHEREAS, Sergeant Cortez held various positions at the
5California Rehabilitation Center and was able to join the
6Investigative Services Unit once again as an investigator; and
7WHEREAS, In 2011, Sergeant Cortez became a part of the
8Southern Regional K-9 Unit, partnering with K-9 Mattie, who was
9certified to search for contraband and narcotics; and
10WHEREAS, K-9 Mattie was a Belgian Malinois who was
11donated by a private citizen in the San Diego area; and
12WHEREAS, Sergeant Cortez, at the age of 46, and K-9 Mattie
13were killed in an automobile accident on State Highway Route 79
14near San Felipe Road in the County of San Diego on March 25,
152013; and
16WHEREAS, K-9 Mattie died at the scene of the accident, while
17Sergeant Cortez succumbed to his injuries at a local fire station
18before an emergency services helicopter could transport him to a
19trauma center; and
20WHEREAS, At the time of the accident, Sergeant Cortez was
21part of a convoy of state corrections K-9 officers that was en route
22to inspect the La Cima Conservation Fire Camp, an inmate-staffed
23firefighting outpost in a rural part of the County of San Diego; and
24WHEREAS, Sergeant Cortez was well loved and respected in
25the Eastvale and Norco communities; and
26WHEREAS, Sergeant Cortez is survived by his wife, two
27children, and parents; now, therefore, be it
28Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
29thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the
30portion of State Highway Route 15 from Second Street in Norco
31to Limonite Avenue in Eastvale as the Sergeant Gilbert Cortez,
32Sr. and K-9 Mattie Memorial Highway; and be it further
33Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested
34to determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the
35signing requirements for the state highway system showing this
36special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate
37sources sufficient to cover the cost, to erect those signs; and be it
38further
P3 1Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
2this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
3for appropriate distribution.
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