BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: scr 88
SENATOR ALAN LOWENTHAL, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: desaulnier
VERSION: 3/15/10
Analysis by: Carrie Cornwell FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: May 4, 2010
SUBJECT:
Officer Larry Lasater Memorial Overcrossing
DESCRIPTION:
This resolution names the Harbor Avenue Overcrossing over State
Highway Route (SR) 4 in Contra Costa County as the "Officer
Larry Lasater Memorial Overcrossing."
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 miles
SCR 88 (DESAULNIER) Page 2
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 the Harbor Avenue Overcrossing over
SR 4 in Contra Costa County as the "Officer Larry Lasater
Memorial Overcrossing." The resolution further requests that the
Department of Transportation erect appropriate signs upon
receiving donations from non-state sources to cover the costs.
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose . The author introduced this resolution to honor and
recognize Officer Larry Lasater's sacrifice as he served to
protect the people of the City of Pittsburg and of California.
2.Background on Officer Lasater . Born in 1969, Larry Lasater
grew up in the City of Martinez, graduated from Park Valley
High School in Pleasant Hill, attended Diablo Valley College,
and received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of
California, Davis in 1993. In 1994, he graduated from the U.S.
Marine Corps' Officer Candidate School and served six years in
the Marine Corps, achieving the rank of Captain as a tank
commander.
In 1999, Officer Lasater married his wife, Jo Ann, and left
the Marine Corps. In 2002, after attending the Contra Costa
County Law Enforcement Academy, where he received the high
honor of top recruit for his class, he became a Pittsburg
Police Officer. In 2004, he joined the Special Weapons and
Tactics (SWAT) team there.
On April 23, 2005, Officer Lasater was critically wounded by
gunfire in an attempt to arrest two armed robbery suspects.
Officer Lassiter died the next day, April 24, 2005, three
months before the birth of his only child, Cody. He had
enrolled as an organ donor, and press stories at the time
indicated that his heart saved the life of a 61-year-old
Redding man.
SCR 88 (DESAULNIER) Page 3
3.Consistent with committee's policy . This resolution is
consistent with all of the provisions of the committee's
policy on highway designations.
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the Committee before noon on
Wednesday,
April 28, 2010)
SUPPORT: City of Pittsburg
Pittsburg Police Department
OPPOSED: None received.