Today State Representative Joy Goeben (R-Green Bay), Chair of the Assembly Committee on the Environment reported AB 322 out of committee to be scheduled for an Assembly floor vote. AB 322 designates the monarch as the official state butterfly.
The Assembly bill is authored by State Representative Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc) and State Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevera (R- Neenah) and17 of their legislative colleagues.
All 6 members of the committee voted YES on the bill.
Voting to advance the bill were:
Rep. Joy Goeben (Chair) (R-Green Bay)
Rep. Duke Tucker (Vice Chair) (R-Grantsburg)
Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay)
Rep. Elijah Behnke (R-Town of Chase)
Rep Lori Palmeri (D-Oshkosh)
Rep Vincent Miresse (D-Stevens Point)
Scenic Wisconsin reminds constituents that they can still contact their own legislators and still ask them to be a cosponsor of the bill.
Founder of Scenic Wisconsin and former Board President, Charlie Mitchell said “This legislation will raise public awareness of the plight of the monarch butterfly and promote conservation of the monarch butterfly and its habitat.”
Current Board President, Gary Goyke, added “We thank former State Treasurer Jack Voight for his incredible leadership on this bill and respectfully ask other elected officials to join in the battle.”
In recent years, the population of monarch butterflies has been reduced by 90%, putting them in danger of extinction. This is occurring due to loss of habitat, increased use of herbicides on host plants (especially the milkweed plant), insecticides on pollinators and severe weather.
Seven other states have designated the monarch butterfly as their state butterfly in order to increase public awareness of the plight and benefits of the monarch.
