BILL NUMBER: SCR 23ENROLLED BILL TEXT ADOPTED IN SENATE AUGUST 20, 2015 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 13, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 11, 2015 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 6, 2015 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 21, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Senator Gaines FEBRUARY 27, 2015 Relative to the Senator Paul J. Lunardi Memorial Highway. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SCR 23, Gaines. Senator Paul J. Lunardi Memorial Highway. This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway Route 267 in the County of Placer as the Senator Paul J. Lunardi Memorial Highway. 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, Paul J. Lunardi was born on September 30, 1921, in Roseville, California, and lived his entire life at the family home on Earl Avenue; and WHEREAS, Upon his graduation from Roseville High School, Lunardi enlisted in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. After the war, he was elected to the Roseville City Council in 1950 and 1954, winning the mayoral seat in the latter year; and WHEREAS, During his tenure on the city council, Lunardi was instrumental in the adoption of a city charter for the council-manager form of government and successfully established a community hospital, developed a municipal fire department, established an updated street lighting system, obtained central valley federal power for the city, and expanded sewage, water, and electric distribution systems. His outstanding record of achievement earned Lunardi a highly coveted "Outstanding Young Men of California" award presented by the State Junior Chamber of Commerce on January 8, 1955; and WHEREAS, Lunardi's entry into politics "was just sort of accidental," and as he used to say, "I just kind of expressed myself about what was happening in Roseville"; and WHEREAS, Lunardi was elected to the State Assembly in 1958, representing the 6th Assembly District, which spanned 11 mountain counties. He served in the Assembly until 1963 when he was elected to the State Senate to represent the 7th Senate District, which included the Counties of Sierra, Nevada, and Placer. He retired in 1966 due to redistricting; and WHEREAS, One of Senator Lunardi's proudest accomplishments was his legislation designating the ghost town of Bodie as a State Historic Park. Bodie is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the best preserved and most visited (200,000 people a year) ghost towns in the nation; and WHEREAS, Senator Lunardi introduced the first bill in the state's history to assess farmland at a lower tax rate. The bill later passed with the help of Assembly Member John Williamson and is now known as the Williamson Act; and WHEREAS, Skiers and mountain residents still benefit from one of Senator Lunardi's major legislative accomplishments that designated the "Truckee shortcut" as State Highway Route 267, that links the City of Truckee to Kings Beach. Prior to 1965, the road was regularly closed by snow in the winter. Senator Lunardi's legislation enabled the road to remain open year-round, worth millions of dollars to the area's tourism and ski industries, and allowed for the development of Northstar Ski Resort; and WHEREAS, Senator Lunardi was honored in 2008 when his hometown of Roseville dedicated a park in his name, to honor his civic achievements and his dedication to the community where he lived his entire life; and WHEREAS, Senator Lunardi passed away peacefully on January 11, 2013, at 91 years of age and was laid to rest in his beloved Roseville, California; and WHEREAS, Designating a portion of State Highway Route 267, that links the City of Truckee to Kings Beach, as the Senator Paul J. Lunardi Memorial Highway would be an appropriate honor for this visionary leader who fought to develop this highway; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the five-mile portion of State Highway Route 267 from postmile 4.898 to the end of State Highway Route 267 at postmile 9.898 in the County of Placer, as the Senator Paul J. Lunardi Memorial Highway; and be it further Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to determine the cost of erecting appropriate signs, consistent with the signing requirements of the state highway system, showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author for appropriate distribution.