BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SCR 38|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
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CONSENT
Bill No: SCR 38
Author: Roth (D), et al
Amended: 5/6/15
Vote: 21
SENATE TRANS. & HOUSING COMMITTEE: 9-0, 5/5/15
AYES: Beall, Allen, Bates, Galgiani, Leyva, McGuire, Mendoza,
Roth, Wieckowski
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cannella, Gaines
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT: Memorial highways
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This resolution designates a portion of State Highway
Route (SR) 91 in the County of Riverside as a Memorial Highway.
ANALYSIS:
This resolution designates the portion of SR 91 between Madison
Street and Third Street in the County of Riverside as the Staff
Sergeant Salvador J. Lara, Staff Sergeant Ysmael R. Villegas,
and Sergeant Jesus S. Duran Memorial Highway. This resolution
further requests that the Department of Transportation erect
appropriate signs upon receiving donations from non-state
sources to cover the costs.
Comments
Purpose. The author introduced this resolution to honor the
life and service of three Medal of Honor recipients.
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Background on Honorees. Staff Sergeant Salvador J. Lara was
born in Riverside, California, in 1920. He achieved the rank of
Staff Sergeant and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
(upgraded to the Medal of Honor on March 18, 2014), the Bronze
Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two Bronze
Service Stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Presidential
Unit Citation, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Honorable
Service Lapel Button - World War II.
Staff Sergeant Lara died on September 1, 1945, and is buried at
the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold,
Moselle, France. He is survived by his niece Vivian Hernandez
and his brother Alfonzo, who accepted the Medal of Honor on his
behalf from President Barack Obama on March 18, 2014.
Staff Sergeant Ysmael "Smiley" R. Villegas was a
Mexican-American who was born on March 21, 1924, and raised in
the Casa Blanca neighborhood in the City of Riverside,
California. Staff Sergeant Villegas was awarded the Silver Star
for actions taken during the Battle of Luzon in the Philippines
on March 1, 1945. He was also a recipient of the Purple Heart,
the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal,
the World War II Victory Medal, and the Philippine Liberation
Medal.
On March 20, 1945, Staff Sergeant Villegas was leading his squad
at Villa Verde Trail in Luzon in the Philippines and became
mortally wounded during a sweep of a combatant enemy field. On
October 19, 1945, President Harry S. Truman posthumously awarded
the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Villegas, presenting the
medal to his surviving family, consisting of his mother and
father, and five brothers and six sisters. Staff Sergeant
Villegas was the first Riverside County resident to ever receive
the Medal of Honor and the first veteran to be buried at the
Riverside National Cemetery when it opened in 1978.
Sergeant Jesus S. Duran was born on July 26, 1948, in Juarez,
Mexico, and was the sixth of 12 siblings. Sergeant Duran joined
the United States Army on May 13, 1968, and was assigned to
Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division
(Airmobile) to support Search and Destroy missions. During his
SCR 38
Page 3
service in the Vietnam War, Sergeant Duran distinguished himself
during combat operations against an armed enemy in the Republic
of Vietnam on April 10, 1969. For his service, Sergeant Duran
received the Bronze Star Medal, the Air Medal, the Army Good
Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam
Service Medal with four Bronze Service Stars, the Combat
Infantryman Badge, and many awards for marksmanship.
Upon leaving the military, Sergeant Jesus S. Duran pursued a
career as a corrections officer at a juvenile detention center
in San Bernardino where he dedicated time to mentor youth and
lead them on educational trips. Sergeant Duran married twice and
had two beloved children. Sergeant Jesus S. Duran passed away
on February 17, 1977, and is survived by his daughter Tina
Duran-Ruvalcaba, who accepted the Medal of Honor on his behalf
from President Barack Obama on March 18, 2014. She also
received the Medal of Honor flag in a ceremony where Sergeant
Duran was inducted into the Pentagon Hall of Heroes.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
SUPPORT: (Verified5/15/15)
American Legion, Department of California
AMVETS, Department of California
California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
California State Commanders Veterans Council
Casa Blanca Community Action Group
Military Officers Association of America, California Council of
Chapters
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of California
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 134
Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council
OPPOSITION: (Verified5/15/15)
None received
SCR 38
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Prepared by:Christine Hochmuth / T. & H. / (916) 651-4121
5/20/15 10:45:25
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