SB1214 - California State Library: study: state butterfly.

Amended IN Senate April 15, 2026 Amended IN Senate March 23, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 1214 Introduced by Senator Ochoa Bogh February 19, 2026 An act to add and repeal Section 424.4 to of the Government Code, relating to state government. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1214, as amended, Ochoa Bogh. State Butterfly. California State Library: study: state butterfly. 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 establish the western monarch butterfly (danaus plexippus) as the official State Butterfly. The bill would make related findings and declarations. 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. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 424.4 is added to the Government Code, to read: 424.4. (a) The California State Library shall conduct a study, in consultation with the public, on the best candidate for the official State Butterfly. (b) (1) On or before January 1, 2028, the California State Library shall submit a report to the Legislature with the California State Library’s recommendations based on the study conducted pursuant to subdivision (a). (2) A report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795. (c) This section shall be repealed on January 1, 2032, pursuant to Section 10231.5. SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) The western monarch butterfly is found throughout California and is easily recognized by its distinctive orange, black, and white wing pattern. (b) The western monarch butterfly migrates more than 1,000 miles from the Rocky Mountain region to coastal California, where they overwinter at sites ranging from the County of Mendocino to Baja California from approximately October through February. (c) During migration, western monarch populations have historically numbered between 20,000 and 200,000 butterflies along the California coast. (d) During fall migration, monarch butterflies can be found in southern California desert regions, including the Coachella Valley, where they arrive in late September through early October to feed on the native milkweed species, including the evergreen rush milkweed. (e) Butterflies play a vital ecological role as pollinators across California’s diverse ecosystems. SEC. 2. Section 424.4 is added to the Government Code , to read: 424.4. The western monarch butterfly (danaus plexippus) is the official State Butterfly.