Countywide : Bill to Require Safety Restraints on Pickups Unites Former Foes

A bill to require restraints for riders in the back of pickup trucks has cleared a hurdle in the state Assembly with help from Ventura County Assemblyman Jack O’Connell and his one-time political foe Connie Los, whose son died in a truck accident.

The proposed law passed the Assembly Transportation Committee on Tuesday. It has brought together O’Connell, D-Carpinteria, and Los, a Santa Barbara Republican who challenged him for his seat in 1990.

Los lost her son, 15-year-old Ryan O’Shaughnessy, after the truck in which he was riding overturned and threw him onto a road in Santa Ynez last July.

O’Connell twice co-authored a similar bill before teaming up with Los. The first was vetoed by Gov. Pete Wilson in 1991 and another failed to pass committee last year.

Los has used her extensive Republican ties as a party fund-raiser to lobby for the bill and sent her emotional written testimony to the committee. She said she hopes to host Wilson at her home if he visits Santa Barbara as planned this spring.

“I’ve had so many calls and letters from people who say, ‘I didn’t know that wasn’t a law. It doesn’t make sense,’ ” Los said.

Los and O’Connell gave the bill a good chance of passing this year, although neither has heard Wilson’s stance.

“Given the reception it received before, we’re going to have to direct our advocacy toward the governor,” O’Connell said.