BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó






                                                       Bill No:  AB  
          2364
          
                 SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
                           Senator Lou Correa, Chair
                           2013-2014 Regular Session
                                 Staff Analysis


          AB 2364  Author:  V. Manuel Perez
          As Amended:  March 26, 2014
          Hearing Date:  June 10, 2014
          Consultant:  Art Terzakis


                                     SUBJECT  
                  State Amphibian: California red-legged frog

                                   DESCRIPTION
           
          AB 2364 designates the California red-legged frog (a.k.a.,  
          Rana draytonii) as the official state amphibian.

                                   EXISTING LAW

           Existing law designates the following as official state  
          insignia:

             State Flower - "Golden Poppy" (Added by Stats.1903, c.  
             69)
             State Bird - "California Valley Quail" (Added by  
             Stats.1931, c. 777)
             State Tree - "California Redwood" includes both the  
             coast redwood (Sequoia empervirens) and the Sierra big  
             tree (Sequoia gigantea) - (Added by Stats.1943, c. 134;  
             Amended by Stats.1953, c. 1140) 
             State Theatre - "Pasadena Playhouse" (Added by  
             Stats.1937, Res. Chapter 45)
             State Fish - "California Golden Trout" (Added by  
             Stats.1947, Res. Chapter 90)
             State Song - "I Love You California" (Added by  
             Stats.1951, Res. Chapter 87)
             State Animal - "California Grizzly" (Added by  
             Stats.1953, c. 1140)
             State Motto - "Eureka" (Added by Stats.1963, c. 1237)
             State Rock - "Serpentine" (Added by Stats.1965, c. 89)




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             State Mineral - "Native Gold" (Added by Stats.1965, c.  
             89)
             State Nickname - "Golden State" (Added by Stats.1968,  
             c. 66)
             State Reptile - "Desert Tortoise" (Added by Stats.1972,  
             c. 683)
             State Insect - "California Dogface Butterfly" (Added by  
             Stats.1972, c. 521)
             State Fossil - "Sabre-Tooth Cat" (Added by Stats.1973,  
             c. 792)
             State Historical Society - "California Historical  
             Society" (Added by Stats.1979, c. 52) 
             State Marine Mammal - "California Gray Whale" (Added by  
             Stats.1975, c. 328)
             State Gemstone - "Benitoite" (Added by Stats.1985, c.  
             1365)
             State Folk Dance - "Square Dance" (Added by Stats.1988,  
             c. 1645)
             State Dance - "West Coast Swing" (Added by Stats.1988,  
             c. 1645)
             State Prehistoric Artifact - "Chipped Stone Bear"  
             (Added by Stats.1991, c. 73)
             State Marine Fish - "Garibaldi" (Added by Stats.1995,  
             c. 948)
             State Soil - "San Joaquin Soil" (Added by Stats.1997,  
             c. 331)
             State Fife and Drum Band - "California Consolidated  
             Drum Band" (Added by Stats.1997, c. 58) 
             State Tartan - "Based on the family tartan of the  
             revered John Muir" (blue and green with red, gold, and  
             blue seams) - (Added by Stats.2001, c. 100)   
             State Gold Rush Ghost Town - "Town of Bodie" (Added by  
             Stats.2002, c. 365)
             State Tall Ship - "Californian" (Added by Stats.2003,  
             c. 113)
             State Grass - "Nassella Pulchra" - commonly referred to  
             as "purple needlegrass" (Added by Stats. 2004, c. 243)
             State Silver Rush Ghost Town - "Calico" (Added by  
             Stats.2005, c. 90)
             Official Marine Reptile - "Pacific Leatherback Sea  
             Turtle" (Added by Stats.2012, c. 591)

                                    BACKGROUND
           
           Summary of Findings  :  The California red-legged frog is a  
          rare species of frog found almost exclusively in the State  




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          of California and ranges in size from 2-5 inches long.  It  
          has a reddish coloring on the underside of the legs and  
          belly - its back and head can range from red to brown  
          and/or gray and the back and top of the legs are covered in  
          small black spots and large dark blotches.  California  
          red-legged frog males communicate to females by a series of  
          short, soft grunts - "unh-unh-uh-uh-grr."

          The California red-legged frog became famous for being the  
          frog featured in Mark Twain's short story The Celebrated  
          Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Its unique place in  
          California history extends back to the 19th century gold  
          rush.  Californians consumed nearly 80,000 red-legged frogs  
          per year, nearly eating the species to extinction.  While  
          the red-legged frog is no longer consumed by humans, the  
          species continues to face myriad natural and man-made  
          threats.  These threats include the introduction of  
          invasive species in the frog's habitat, as well as habitat  
          loss.  In May 1996, the species was listed as a federal  
          threatened species with the State of California also  
          classifying it as a species of special concern and subject  
          to protection in June 1996. 

           Purpose of AB 2364:   The author's office points out  
          existing law provides for several "official" state emblems  
          that are well known - the Great Seal of the State of  
          California, the Bear Flag and Golden Poppy.  Additionally,  
          the existing list of state insignia goes further and  
          includes among other things, the state fish, the state  
          insect, the state reptile and the state marine mammal.  

          The author's office indicates that general research and  
          other data on amphibians provided by the Prodigy Cats, an  
          after school enrichment club at Sea View Elementary School  
          on the west shore of the great Salton Sea, was the basis  
          for introduction of AB 2364.  This measure would declare  
          the California red-legged frog the official state  
          amphibian. The author's office believes that such a  
          designation would highlight the species' important place in  
          the ecology and history of California.           

                                         
                               PRIOR LEGISLATION
           
           AB 1776 (Fong), Chapter 591, Statutes of 2012.   Designated  
          the Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle as the official marine  




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          reptile of the State of California and established October  
          15 as Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle Conservation Day.  

           SB 906 (Ashburn), Chapter 90, Statutes of 2005.   Designated  
          "Calico" in San Bernardino County as the official state  
          Silver Rush Ghost Town.

           SB 1226 (Machado), Chapter 243, Statutes of 2004.    
          Designated "purple needlegrass," or Nassella Pulchra, as  
          the official State Grass.

           AB 965 (Kehoe), Chapter 113, Statutes of 2003.   Established  
          the "Californian" as the official state tall ship.
           
          AB 1757 (Leslie), Chapter 365, Statutes of 2002.    
          Designated "Bodie" as the official state Gold Rush Ghost  
          Town.

           SUPPORT:   As of June 6, 2014:

          Action for Animals
          California Historical Society
          Center for Biological Diversity
          Humane Society of the United States
          Live Oak Associates, Inc.
          Prodigy Cats Club, Sea View Elementary School
          Save the Frogs
          Sierra Club
          Wild Equity Institute

           OPPOSE:   None on file as of June 6, 2014.

           FISCAL COMMITTEE:   No.

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