AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 23, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

CHAPTER 133

Statutes of 2026

Introduced by Assembly Members Ransom and Flora

February 13, 2026

Relative to the San Joaquin County Deputy Sheriff Dighton Little Memorial Highway.

Fiscal committee: yes

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

This measure would designate a specified portion of State Route 99 in the County of San Joaquin as the San Joaquin County Deputy Sheriff Dighton Little Memorial Highway. The measure would request that the Department of Transportation determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources sufficient to cover the cost, to erect those signs.

WHEREAS, Dighton Little, the son of a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, was raised in Stockton, California, and graduated from Lincoln High School; and

WHEREAS, Dighton Little was sworn in as San Joaquin County Deputy Sheriff in 1979. Deputy Little worked in the Custody Division, Patrol Division, Detective Division, and as a charter member of the county sheriffs Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team; and

WHEREAS, On October 20, 1989, the SWAT team was assigned to serve a search warrant for drugs in Ripon, California; and

WHEREAS, During the service of the warrant, an exchange of gunfire occurred, and Deputy Little was shot and killed; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Little is survived by his mother, father, and brother; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Little will be remembered for his hard work and dedication to professionalism in law enforcement, and will be profoundly missed by all; 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 99 from the East Hammer Lane overpass, at postmile 22.922, to the Armstrong Road overpass, at postmile 27.504, in the County of San Joaquin, as the San Joaquin County Deputy Sheriff Dighton Little 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 the 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.