CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 37Introduced by Assembly Members Wallis, Essayli, Gallagher, and JacksonFebruary 20, 2025 Relative to the Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTACR 37, as introduced, Wallis. The Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway.This measure would designate the portion of State Route 10 from the Malki Road undercrossing to the East Cabazon Ramp overcrossing in the County of Riverside as the Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway. The measure would 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.Digest Key Fiscal Committee: YES Bill TextWHEREAS, On Sunday, August 6, 2023, two firefighting helicopters, a Sikorsky S-64E and a Bell 407, collided in the unincorporated community of Cabazon in the County of Riverside while battling the Broadway Wildland Fire; andWHEREAS, Although the Sikorsky S-64E helicopter was able to land safely, the Bell 407 crashed, tragically taking the lives of Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, CAL FIRE Captain Timothy Tim Rodriguez, and Contract Pilot Tony Sousa; andWHEREAS, Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, who was born on June 17, 1977, began his firefighting career as a volunteer firefighter at Volunteer Fire Station 78 in the unincorporated community of Mountain Center in the County of Riverside; andWHEREAS, Bischof joined the San Bernardino National Forest Service Vista Grande Hotshots in 1998, moved on to CAL FIRE in 1999, and rose through the ranks to become an Assistant Chief with CAL FIREs Southern Region Headquarters in 2023; andWHEREAS, Bischof is survived by his wife of 24 years, Cheryl, their children, Derek and Juliana, and many other friends and loved ones; andWHEREAS, Captain Tim Rodriguez, who was born on January 3, 1979, began his firefighting career by joining CAL FIRE as a Firefighter I, serving at Fire Station 41 in the unincorporated community of Mecca in the County of Riverside; andWHEREAS, Rodriguez was promoted through a series of ranks to fire captain in 2019, first serving in that capacity at Fire Station 14 in the City of Norco, and then at Hemet Ryan Air Attack Base as a helitack fire captain; andWHEREAS, Rodriguez is survived by his wife of 20 years, Dorothy, their three children, Joshua, Haley, and Alexis, and many other friends and loved ones; andWHEREAS, Pilot Tony Sousa, who was born on November 11, 1967, held many jobs in his life, including as a dairy worker, Outlaw Kart salesperson, custom harvester, and helicopter pilot; andWHEREAS, Sousa not only achieved his lifelong dream by becoming a pilot, but he was also pivotal in implementing the CAL FIRE Helicopter Coordinator (HLCO) training program; andWHEREAS, Sousa is survived by his wife, Rachelle, his two children, Connor and Carson, and many other friends and loved ones; andWHEREAS, Assistant Chief Bischof, Captain Rodriguez, and Pilot Sousa lost their lives while serving the people of the State of California and their sacrifices shall never be forgotten; now, therefore, be itResolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the portion of State Route 10 from the Malki Road undercrossing (post mile R16.544) to the East Cabazon Ramp overcrossing (post mile R19.398) in the County of Riverside as the Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway; and be it furtherResolved, 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 that cost, to erect those signs; and be it furtherResolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author for appropriate distribution.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 37Introduced by Assembly Members Wallis, Essayli, Gallagher, and JacksonFebruary 20, 2025 Relative to the Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTACR 37, as introduced, Wallis. The Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway.This measure would designate the portion of State Route 10 from the Malki Road undercrossing to the East Cabazon Ramp overcrossing in the County of Riverside as the Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway. The measure would 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.Digest Key Fiscal Committee: YES
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Concurrent Resolution
No. 37
Introduced by Assembly Members Wallis, Essayli, Gallagher, and JacksonFebruary 20, 2025
Introduced by Assembly Members Wallis, Essayli, Gallagher, and Jackson
February 20, 2025
Relative to the Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 37, as introduced, Wallis. The Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway.
This measure would designate the portion of State Route 10 from the Malki Road undercrossing to the East Cabazon Ramp overcrossing in the County of Riverside as the Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway. The measure would 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.
This measure would designate the portion of State Route 10 from the Malki Road undercrossing to the East Cabazon Ramp overcrossing in the County of Riverside as the Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway. The measure would 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.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
WHEREAS, On Sunday, August 6, 2023, two firefighting helicopters, a Sikorsky S-64E and a Bell 407, collided in the unincorporated community of Cabazon in the County of Riverside while battling the Broadway Wildland Fire; and
WHEREAS, Although the Sikorsky S-64E helicopter was able to land safely, the Bell 407 crashed, tragically taking the lives of Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, CAL FIRE Captain Timothy Tim Rodriguez, and Contract Pilot Tony Sousa; and
WHEREAS, Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, who was born on June 17, 1977, began his firefighting career as a volunteer firefighter at Volunteer Fire Station 78 in the unincorporated community of Mountain Center in the County of Riverside; and
WHEREAS, Bischof joined the San Bernardino National Forest Service Vista Grande Hotshots in 1998, moved on to CAL FIRE in 1999, and rose through the ranks to become an Assistant Chief with CAL FIREs Southern Region Headquarters in 2023; and
WHEREAS, Bischof is survived by his wife of 24 years, Cheryl, their children, Derek and Juliana, and many other friends and loved ones; and
WHEREAS, Captain Tim Rodriguez, who was born on January 3, 1979, began his firefighting career by joining CAL FIRE as a Firefighter I, serving at Fire Station 41 in the unincorporated community of Mecca in the County of Riverside; and
WHEREAS, Rodriguez was promoted through a series of ranks to fire captain in 2019, first serving in that capacity at Fire Station 14 in the City of Norco, and then at Hemet Ryan Air Attack Base as a helitack fire captain; and
WHEREAS, Rodriguez is survived by his wife of 20 years, Dorothy, their three children, Joshua, Haley, and Alexis, and many other friends and loved ones; and
WHEREAS, Pilot Tony Sousa, who was born on November 11, 1967, held many jobs in his life, including as a dairy worker, Outlaw Kart salesperson, custom harvester, and helicopter pilot; and
WHEREAS, Sousa not only achieved his lifelong dream by becoming a pilot, but he was also pivotal in implementing the CAL FIRE Helicopter Coordinator (HLCO) training program; and
WHEREAS, Sousa is survived by his wife, Rachelle, his two children, Connor and Carson, and many other friends and loved ones; and
WHEREAS, Assistant Chief Bischof, Captain Rodriguez, and Pilot Sousa lost their lives while serving the people of the State of California and their sacrifices shall never be forgotten; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the portion of State Route 10 from the Malki Road undercrossing (post mile R16.544) to the East Cabazon Ramp overcrossing (post mile R19.398) in the County of Riverside as the Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tony Sousa Memorial Highway; 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 that cost, to erect those signs; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author for appropriate distribution.