BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: acr 106
SENATOR ALAN LOWENTHAL, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: caballero
VERSION: 2/9/2010
Analysis by: Art Bauer FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: May 4, 2010
SUBJECT:
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL-FIRE)
Firefighter Matt Will Memorial Highway
DESCRIPTION:
This resolution designates an 11-mile segment of State Highway
Route (SR) 156 as "CAL-FIRE Firefighter Matt Will Memorial
Highway."
ANALYSIS:
The committee has adopted a policy regarding the naming of state
highways or structures. Under the policy, the committee will
consider only those resolutions that meet all of the following
criteria:
The person being honored must have provided
extraordinary public service or some exemplary contribution
to the public good and have a connection to the community
where the highway is located.
The person being honored must be deceased.
The naming must be done without cost to the state.
Costs for signs and plaques must be paid by local or
private sources.
The author or co-author of the resolution must represent
the district in which the facility is located and the
resolution must identify the specific highway segment or
structure being named.
The segment of highway being named must not exceed five
ACR 106 (CABALLERO) Page 2
miles in length.
The proposed designation must reflect a community
consensus and be without local opposition.
The proposed designation may not supersede an existing
designation unless the sponsor can document that a good
faith effort has uncovered no opposition to rescinding the
prior designation.
This resolution designates an eleven-mile segment of SR 156
between SR 25 and SR 101 in San Benito County as CAL-FIRE
Firefighter Matt Will Memorial Highway.
COMMENTS:
1) Purpose of resolution . This resolution is intended to
honor Heavy Fire Equipment Operator (HFEO) firefighter Matt
Mills, who gave his life while attempting to save the life
of a fellow HFEO, while both performed their duties as
firefighters.
2) Summary of Matt Will's life . Matt Will followed in his
father's footsteps as he pursued the career of his dreams
as a HFEO by applying his passions for heavy equipment and
fire fighting. He was charismatic and caring, and his
drive and motivation were displayed daily. His leadership
skills allowed him to reach his goals and to encourage
others to reach theirs.
Mr. Will was extremely knowledgeable, with abundant
experience and excellent judgment that enabled him to be on
the fireline operating equipment alone. On October 8,
2007, he tried to get another bulldozer out of a precarious
situation, placing himself in a very dangerous location.
The ground of the steep terrain gave way causing Matt
Will's bulldozer to roll 154 feet down a steep ravine,
resulting injuries that ultimately proved fatal.
Matt Will is survived by his mother, father, two brothers,
his wife and high school sweetheart Dianna, son Trysten,
and daughter Elsie.
3) Resolution inconsistent with committee policy . The
committee policy requires a designated segment of state
highway to be no longer than five-miles in order to be
ACR 106 (CABALLERO) Page 3
named for someone. In the of this resolution, limiting the
designation to five-miles is unnecessary since the segment
is a conventional two-lane highway in a rural area with no
convenient location to end the designation.
4) Payment of sign conforms with committee . This resolution
conforms with the committee policy that the cost of
fabricating the sign and its installation will be paid by
non-state sources of funds.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 73-0
Appr: 15-0
Trans: 13-0
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the Committee before noon on
Wednesday,
April 28, 2010)
SUPPORT: CDF Firefighters Local 2881 (sponsor)
California Department of Forestry Fire Fighters
California
Professional Firefighters
OPPOSED: None received.