BILL NUMBER: SCR 136	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Walters
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Mansoor)

                        AUGUST 4, 2014

   Relative to the Laguna Beach Police Officer Jon S. Coutchie
Memorial Highway.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 136, as introduced, Walters. Laguna Beach Police Officer Jon
S. Coutchie Memorial Highway.
   This measure would designate the portion of State Route 1 that
traverses the City of Laguna Beach as the Laguna Beach Police Officer
Jon S. Coutchie 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 to cover that cost, to erect those signs.
   Fiscal committee: yes.



   WHEREAS, Jon S. Coutchie was born on October 2, 1971, in Tucson,
Arizona; and
   WHEREAS, At just 48 hours of age, Jon and mother boarded an
airplane to join his father in southern California; and
   WHEREAS, While growing up in Orange County, Jon frequently
traveled with his family to Europe, especially to Italy, where his
maternal grandparents and extended family resided; and
   WHEREAS, Jon also loved to spend time with his paternal
grandparents in Yuma, Arizona; and
   WHEREAS, From an early age, Jon's adventurous spirit led him to
snow skiing, camping, waterskiing, jet skiing, motocross, off-road
exploration, and just about anything that would provide an
opportunity for an exciting challenge; and
   WHEREAS, At Laguna Hills High School, Jon demonstrated his ability
to work both as a team member, as well as individually, through his
participation in water polo and wrestling; and
   WHEREAS, Jon graduated from Laguna Hills High School in 1989 and
attended Universal Technical Institute to become an automotive
technician; and
   WHEREAS, Jon later continued to expand his learning through his
attendance at Santa Monica College and Irvine Valley College before
entering military service; and
   WHEREAS, The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks weighed heavily
on Jon and he wanted to do his part to protect his country, family,
and friends; and
   WHEREAS, Jon enlisted in the United States Army at 31 years of age
with the intention of becoming an elite ranger; and
   WHEREAS, Jon attended basic and advanced individual training at
Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he was named the Honor Graduate of his
class; and
   WHEREAS, Jon entered ranger training at Fort Benning, Georgia and,
at 32 years of age, he mastered the rigorous ranger training, which
overcame many of the younger aspirants, to become a ranger; and
   WHEREAS, Jon's four years of active duty service as an elite
ranger included two tours in Iraq followed by two tours in
Afghanistan; and
   WHEREAS, Between tours of duty, Jon continued to hone his
leadership skills, including graduating from the Primary Leadership
Development Course as an Honor Graduate; and
   WHEREAS, Jon lived by the ranger motto, "Rangers lead the way!"
and his overall leadership qualities earned him an early promotion to
the rank of sergeant; and
   WHEREAS, During his military service, Jon earned numerous service
awards, including, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Joint
Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army
Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the
Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War
on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service
Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Airborne Badge, and the Ranger
Tab; and
   WHEREAS, After his distinguished service in the military and his
honorable discharge from the United States Army, Jon realized that he
wanted to continue his service to the public and applied for a
part-time jailer position with the Laguna Beach Police Department;
and
   WHEREAS, Jon showed great enthusiasm for his job and excelled with
each assignment; and
   WHEREAS, Seeing Jon's great potential, the Laguna Beach Police
Department sponsored Jon through the Goldenwest Police Academy in
2008; and
   WHEREAS, Jon successfully completed his police officer training in
March 2009 with the distinction of being the first Goldenwest Police
Academy Honor Graduate in the history of the Laguna Beach Police
Department; and
   WHEREAS, Upon his graduation, Jon was immediately sworn in as a
Laguna Beach police officer; and
   WHEREAS, Jon showed passion for his new profession and enjoyed
working with the diverse population of the City of Laguna Beach; and
   WHEREAS, Jon showed a passion for traffic issues and displayed
expertise in accident investigation; and
   WHEREAS, Following this interest, Jon applied and was selected for
a coveted motor officer position with the Laguna Beach Police
Department in March 2013; and
   WHEREAS, On the evening of September 21, 2013, Jon traveling was
northbound on the Pacific Coast Highway in an attempt to locate a
vehicle that was being driven recklessly and that had eluded another
officer; and
   WHEREAS, While looking for that vehicle, Jon was involved in a
collision that took his life; and
   WHEREAS, One of the responding officers, upon seeing Jon had not
survived the collision, draped an American flag over his body, which
is an honor befitting a hero who had served his county and his
community; and
   WHEREAS, Comments from community members praised Jon for being a
firm, but fair, officer; and
   WHEREAS, Jon is survived by his mother, father, step-mother,
brother, step-sister, and girlfriend; and
   WHEREAS, Jon lived life with great enthusiasm and loved spending
time with family and friends; and
   WHEREAS, Some would describe Jon as a "Renaissance Man"; and
   WHEREAS, Jon's quick wit made him a man with an amazing sense of
humor, his demeanor showed a willingness to put those around him at
ease, and he could always be counted on for a good laugh; and
   WHEREAS, Jon was the consummate protector, as demonstrated when he
once rescued a wayward rattlesnake and rather than dispatching the
snake, he held the snake out the window of his patrol car while
transporting it to a safe release point; and
   WHEREAS, Jon was a warrior and peacemaker, a gentle and
compassionate soul and, in some ways, still a boy at heart; and
   WHEREAS, While on deployment in Iraq, he wrote that he wished he
could gather all the Iraqi children and take them home to the United
States, where they would have a chance for a better life; and
   WHEREAS, As a police officer in the City of Laguna Beach, Jon was
frequently seen explaining to children the duties of a law
enforcement officer while letting them sit in his patrol car; and
   WHEREAS, The Laguna Beach Police Department will forever miss and
love Jon; and
   WHEREAS, In recognition of Police Officer Jon S. Coutchie's
service to this country and the City of Laguna Beach, it would be
fitting to designate the portion of State Highway Route 1 that
traverses the City of Laguna Beach in his honor; 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 1 that traverses the City of Laguna
Beach as the Laguna Beach Police Officer Jon S. Coutchie Memorial
Highway; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to
determine the cost of erecting appropriate signs, consistent with the
signage requirements for the state highway system, showing this
special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate
sources covering that 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.