Florida Senate - 2024 SB By Senator Polsky 30-00108-24 2024162__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled

An act relating to designation of the state bird; 2 creating s. 15.0352, F.S.; designating the Florida scrub-jay as the official state bird; specifying that the act supersedes designation of the mockingbird as the state bird; providing an effective date. 6

WHEREAS, the Florida scrub-jay is a bird measuring from 9 to inches in length with blue wings, head, and tail, a gray back and underparts, and a whitish forehead and neck, and

WHEREAS, protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Florida scrub-jay is also protected as a threatened species by the federal Endangered Species Act and as a federally designated threatened species by the Florida Endangered and Threatened Species rule, and

WHEREAS, the Florida scrub-jay is the only bird species endemic to the State of Florida,

NOW, THEREFORE, 17

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 19

Section

Section 15.0352, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 22 15.0352 Official state bird.—The Florida scrub-jay 23 (Aphelocoma coerulescens) is designated as the official Florida state bird. 25

Section 2. This act supersedes the designation of the mockingbird as the Florida state bird by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 3, adopted during the Regular Session. 28

Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 29