SACRAMENTO —Today, Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez (R-Indio) and Assemblymember Greg Wallis (R-Bermuda Dunes) announced the introduction of AB 1145, also known as Tristin’s Bill, a critical piece of legislation that will initiate a comprehensive safety study of Highway 74 and similar roads throughout California. Highway 74 a narrow mountain highway that has become increasingly dangerous due to heavy semi-truck traffic and worsening road conditions. The legislation is named in memory of Tristin Bourgeois, a beloved father, son, husband and native of Anza who tragically lost his life on HWY 74 at the age of 27.
“For those of us in the Coachella Valley and mountain communities, the dangers of HWY 74 are nothing new. The tragic death of Tristin Bourgeois is a painful reminder that we must act now. His life mattered—and we owe it to him, his family, and every driver on this road to demand answers and real change. With AB 1145, we’re finally taking action: gathering the facts, identifying the risks, and pushing for true safety improvements. We can’t bring Tristin back, but we can honor his memory by making sure no other family endures the same heartbreak. It’s time to say: enough is enough.”— Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez
“Highway74 has claimed too many lives, and the loss of Tristin Bourgeois is a heartbreaking call to action. As representatives of the communities that rely on this road, Assemblyman Gonzalez and I are committed to ensuring it becomes safer for all who travel it. AB 1145, Tristin’s Bill, will provide the critical data we need to address the dangers of heavy truck traffic, poor road conditions, and inadequate enforcement. This is about saving lives and honoring Tristin’s memory with meaningful change.”— Assemblymember Greg Wallis
“Our family wants the public to understand how deeply this study of Highway 74 means to us. We are speaking out in hopes of saving lives and sparing other families from experiencing the kind of unimaginable loss we have endured.
This is personal for us—our surviving child still drives that same road every day, as does Tristin’s daughter. It’s a daily reminder of the risk that remains. The time for change is now. We believe that if this legislation had been introduced and safety improvements made years ago, Tristin would still be with us today.
Tristin was a vibrant, joyful, and hardworking young man with a promising future. He deserved so much more than what happened to him. We’re committed to making sure his story leads to real change.” – Danielle Ellington and Samuel Bourgeois, parents of Tristin Bourgeois
AB 1145 – Tristin’s Bill will direct Cal Trans to conduct a detailed study and submit an annual report to the Legislature with findings and safety recommendations. Specifically, the study will analyze:
- The number of fatal and non-fatal accidents over the past 10 years
- All 911 calls related to tire blowouts and road conditions
- Incidents involving semi-trucks and large commercial vehicles
- The number and type of citations issued for vehicle code violations on HWY 74 and similar roads throughout the state of California
- The number of injuries and fatalities occurring
- Data on brake failure or mechanical issues as contributing factors in accidents
- All of the following relating to enforcement facilities:
o The identification of transportation corridors used to bypass enforcement
facilities
o The resulting dangers, hazards, poor conditions, and other consequences of
the transportation corridors
o The identification of hot spots on the corridors
This legislation seeks to address long-standing concerns over large commercial trucks using HWY 74 —a narrow, winding road that was never engineered for high-volume or heavy-load traffic. Residents report frequent potholes, road degradation and a rising number of traffic incidents.
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