BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SCR 38| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. SCR 38 Page 2 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 Page 4 Prepared by:Christine Hochmuth / T. & H. / (916) 651-4121 5/20/15 10:45:25 **** END ****