SB 1214 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California State Library: study: state butterfly.

Summary

Existing law establishes various official emblems of the state, including establishing the California dog-face butterfly (zerene eurydice) as the official State Insect. Existing law establishes the California State Library within the state government and vests control of the library to the State Librarian. Existing law authorizes the California State Library to serve as the central reference and research library for the departments of state government and maintain adequate legislative reference and research library services for the Legislature. This bill would require the California State Library to research, in consultation with the public, on the best candidate for the official State Butterfly. The bill would require the California State Library, on or before January 1, 2028, to submit a report to the Legislature with the California State Library's recommendations based on the study, as provided. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 19, 2026 Last action May 14, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

03/23/26 - Amended Senate → 04/15/26 - Amended Senate · 5 edits · Apr 15, 2026

MODERATE

The April 15 amendment made two major substantive changes: it removed the painted lady butterfly (vanessa cardui) from the state butterfly designation so that only the western monarch butterfly (danaus plexippus) is named, and it added a new requirement for the California State Library to conduct a public consultation study on the best candidate for the official State Butterfly, with a report due to the Legislature by January 1, 2028. The new study provision sunsets on January 1, 2032. The fiscal committee designation also changed from 'no' to 'yes,' acknowledging a fiscal impact.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a simple butterfly designation into a two-part measure: it designates the western monarch butterfly while simultaneously requiring the State Library to study and recommend the best candidate for the official State Butterfly, with a sunset date of 2032. This introduces an evaluation process that could potentially change the designation in the future.

SCOPE

The state butterfly designation was narrowed from 'painted lady western monarch butterfly (vanessa cardui) (danaus plexippus)' to only 'western monarch butterfly (danaus plexippus),' removing the painted lady butterfly entirely.

REQUIREMENT

A new provision requires the California State Library to conduct a study, in consultation with the public, on the best candidate for the official State Butterfly.

TIMELINE

The California State Library must submit a report with its recommendations to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2028, in compliance with Section 9795.

The new study provision (Section 424.4) is set to be repealed on January 1, 2032, pursuant to Section 10231.5.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now carries a recognized fiscal impact requiring fiscal committee review.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR. pursuant to Joint Rule 10.5.

upper

Apr 15, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.

upper

Apr 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 15. Noes 0. Page 3866.) (April 14).

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on G.O.

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on G.O.

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors