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Measure AB 581
Authors Bennett  
Subject State shrub.
Relating To relating to state government.
Title An act to add Section 425.16 to the Government Code, relating to state government.
Last Action Dt 2025-10-09
State Chaptered
Status Chaptered
Active? Y
Vote Required Majority
Appropriation No
Fiscal Committee No
Local Program No
Substantive Changes None
Urgency No
Tax Levy No
Leginfo Link Bill
Actions
2025-10-09     Approved by the Governor.
2025-10-09     Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 481, Statutes of 2025.
2025-09-09     Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
2025-09-02     Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2410.).
2025-09-02     In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
2025-06-11     Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-06-10     From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 10).
2025-05-07     Referred to Com. on G.O.
2025-03-28     Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 61. Noes 0. Page 919.)
2025-03-28     In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-03-26     Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-03-25     From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (March 25).
2025-03-20     Re-referred to Com. on W. P., & W.
2025-03-19     From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on W. P., & W. Read second time and amended.
2025-02-25     Re-referred to Com. on W. P., & W.
2025-02-24     Referred to Com. on W. P., & W.
2025-02-24     From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on W. P., & W. Read second time and amended.
2025-02-13     From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.
2025-02-12     Read first time. To print.
Keywords
Tags
Versions
Chaptered     2025-10-09
Enrolled     2025-09-04
Amended Assembly     2025-03-19
Amended Assembly     2025-02-24
Introduced     2025-02-12
Last Version Text 
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		<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett</ns0:AuthorText>
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		<ns0:Title>An act to add Section 425.16 to the Government Code, relating to state government. </ns0:Title>
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			<ns0:Subject>State shrub.</ns0:Subject>
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			<html:p>Existing law establishes the state flag and the state’s emblems, including, among other things, the golden poppy as the official State Flower, the California redwood as the official state tree, and purple needlegrass as the official State Grass.</html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would establish the bigberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca) as the official state shrub.</html:p>
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		<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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				<html:p>The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following:</html:p>
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					(a)
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					Manzanitas are an iconic native plant species within one of California’s most extensive ecosystems, the chaparral.
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					With roots in California that date back over a million years, Arctostaphylos glauca is specifically suited for California’s topography. This long-lived shrub features broad-reaching roots that provide watershed protective qualities and aid in preventing soil erosion.
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					(c)
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					The increase in fire frequency is threatening old-growth stands of Arctostaphylos glauca, where the California grizzly bear once roamed. Recognizing the natural resource and heritage of this shrub species is one part of preservation. 
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					Arctostaphylos glauca, or bigberry manzanita, as it is commonly known, is an extensive and widespread large manzanita, populating chaparral habitats from the coast to the desert with a range from the San Francisco Bay area into the northern State of Baja California, Mexico. 
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					The common name of the genus Arctostaphylos is “manzanita,” which means “little apple” in
				Spanish. “Arctostaphylos” directly translates to “bear grape” in Greek with the prefix “arktos” meaning “bear” and the suffix “staphylos” translating to “bunch of grapes.” These linguistic connections have ties to California’s heritage. 
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					The fruit of Arctostaphylos glauca has been used by Native American communities as a food source. California’s official state animal, the now-extinct California grizzly bear, also relied upon the fruit as a source of food. The shrub continues to be an important food source for wildlife in the chaparral. 
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					Declaring the Arctostaphylos glauca a state species is one step in spreading awareness of its important role in California’s
				natural landscape. 
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				Section 425.16 is added to the 
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Last Version Text Digest Existing law establishes the state flag and the state’s emblems, including, among other things, the golden poppy as the official State Flower, the California redwood as the official state tree, and purple needlegrass as the official State Grass. This bill would establish the bigberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca) as the official state shrub.