Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 77

Introduced by Senator Cannella

(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Gray)

January 28, 2014

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 77—Relative to the Special Agent Richard “Rick” K. Oules Memorial Highway.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 77, as introduced, Cannella. Special Agent Richard “Rick” K. Oules Memorial Highway.

This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway Route 140 from Arboleda Drive to Plainsburg Road in the County of Merced as the Special Agent Richard “Rick” K. Oules 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 that cost, to erect those signs.

Fiscal committee: yes.

WHEREAS, Special Agent Richard “Rick” K. Oules was born
on January 10, 1956, in Merced, California; and

WHEREAS, Special Agent Oules received his Bachelor of Arts
Degree in management from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga,
California; and

WHEREAS, Special Agent Oules began his law enforcement
career in 1977, with the Merced County Sheriff’s Department,
where he served as a Patrol Deputy, Narcotics Detective, and Patrol
Sergeant; and

WHEREAS, In 1987, he joined the Department of Justice as a
Special Agent and was assigned to the Bureau of Narcotic
Enforcement, where he worked on and supervised a clandestine
lab enforcement team resulting in the investigation and dismantling
of approximately 300 methamphetamine laboratories; and

WHEREAS, In 2005, he was appointed as the Director of the
Department of Justice’s Division of Law Enforcement, where he
oversaw one of the largest state investigative law enforcement
agencies in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Special Agent Oules retired from the department
in 2008 and, after a short break, joined the United States Attorney’s
Office in Sacramento, as a Law Enforcement Coordinator, where
he served until his death; and

WHEREAS, Special Agent Oules was recognized for his many
achievements by being awarded the California Coalition of Law
Enforcement Associations’ Top Manager Award for Excellence
in Law Enforcement Leadership; and

WHEREAS, Special Agent Oules was the past President of the
California Narcotic Officers’ Association (CNOA), served on the
CNOA Executive Board of Directors and the Executive Board of
Directors of the California Peace Officers’ Association, and was
appointed to the California Council on Criminal Justice; and

WHEREAS, On April 4, 2011, Special Agent Oules died at 55
years of age after a courageous battle with lung cancer, which was
determined to be a result of his frequent long-term exposure to the
large number of chemicals and solvents found in methamphetamine
laboratories; and

WHEREAS, Special Agent Oules’ death was ruled compensable
by the state; and

WHEREAS, Special Agent Oules is survived by his wife Lisa,
daughter Crissy, father Roger, and mother Patsy; and

WHEREAS, Special Agent Oules’ service and sacrifice for the
people of the state are deserving of honor and tribute; now,
therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the
portion of State Highway Route 140 from Arboleda Drive to
Plainsburg Road in the County of Merced as the Special Agent
Richard “Rick” K. Oules Memorial Highway; and be it further

Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested
to determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the
signing requirements for the state highway system showing this
special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate
sources sufficient to cover the cost, to erect those signs; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
for appropriate distribution.

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CORRECTIONS:

Text--page 2.

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