BILL NUMBER: SCR 23CHAPTERED BILL TEXT RESOLUTION CHAPTER 95 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 6, 2013 ADOPTED IN SENATE AUGUST 30, 2013 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 26, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 5, 2013 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 9, 2013 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 1, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Senator Cannella MARCH 13, 2013 Relative to the Soledad State Prison Correctional Officers Memorial Highway. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SCR 23, Cannella. Soledad State Prison Correctional Officers Memorial Highway. This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway Route 101 in the County of Monterey as the Soledad State Prison Correctional Officers Memorial Highway honoring John V. Mills, William C. Shull, Robert J. McCarthy, and Kenneth E. Conant. 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 covering that cost, to erect those signs. WHEREAS, Between January 1970 and May 1971, three correctional officers and a correctional employee were attacked and killed in the line of duty at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Correctional Training Facility, formerly known as the Soledad State Prison, in a string of violent inmate uprisings; and WHEREAS, John V. Mills, born on July 19, 1944, in Riverside, California, grew up in Fresno, attended Long Beach State College, served two years in the Army, and had just been assigned to the medium security Y-Wing in relief of another officer who was on vacation; and WHEREAS, On January 16, 1970, Officer Mills was locked in the cell block with 95 inmates, and was attacked and beaten to death at approximately 6:30 p.m. by inmates in retaliation for the shooting deaths of three other inmates at the prison; and WHEREAS, Officer Mills was a 14-month veteran correctional officer of the prison and resident of Monterey, who left a widow, Bernadette, and a son, Michael Lee; and WHEREAS, William C. Shull, born on June 13, 1930, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, attended Gettysburg High School, served 22 years in the Army, retiring with the rank of Master Sergeant, and was awarded the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal; and WHEREAS, On July 23, 1970, Officer Shull was assigned to the recreational building 1-Yard exercise area in relief of another officer who was unable to work that day, and was found lifeless at 9:30 a.m. by an inmate, having been beaten and stabbed to death by inmates in retaliation for the shooting deaths of three other inmates at the prison; and WHEREAS, Officer Shull was a one-year veteran correctional officer of the prison and resident of Seaside, who left a widow, Kazuko, and four girls, Gracie, Sarah, Betty, and Rose; and WHEREAS, Robert J. McCarthy, born on August 8, 1927, in Oklahoma, served 21 years in the Army, retiring with the rank of Sergeant; and WHEREAS, On March 4, 1971, Officer McCarthy was conducting a count of the inmates in X-Wing, at 11:15 p.m., when an inmate, claiming he needed to mail a letter, lured Officer McCarthy to his cell door and stabbed him; and WHEREAS, Valiant efforts by hospital staff and an inmate in the infirmary stabilized Officer McCarthy's condition, but he died after he was transferred to the military hospital at Fort Ord; and WHEREAS, Officer McCarthy was a veteran correctional officer of the prison since 1966 and a resident of the City of Marina, who left a widow, Emily, and two children, Leon and Sylvia; and WHEREAS, Kenneth E. Conant, born on December 6, 1921, in Denver, Colorado, attended the University of Denver and the University of Southern California; and WHEREAS, On May 19, 1971, Mr. Conant, a correctional employee, was sitting at his desk preparing to conduct a disciplinary committee hearing with two prison officials when they were attacked by two inmates who entered the office with handmade knives, and Mr. Conant was fatally stabbed while the prison officials received minor injuries; and WHEREAS, Mr. Conant was a 20-year veteran of corrections work and a resident of Salinas, who left a widow, Helen, and a son, Donald; 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 101 between Exit 305 at post mile 64.63 and Exit 310 at post mile 69.37 in the County of Monterey as the Soledad State Prison Correctional Officers Memorial Highway honoring John V. Mills, William C. Shull, Robert J. McCarthy, and Kenneth E. Conant; and be it further Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the signing requirements for the state highway system showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources sufficient to cover the cost, to erect those signs; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the Department of Transportation and to the author for appropriate distribution.