OLYMPIA — Washington's nickname, "the Evergreen State," doesn't only apply to the green of the pine trees but also to the green of the shrub-steppe that covers most of Eastern Washington.
Because of that, Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, has proposed a bill to recognize a state cactus.
"(In) Kittitas (County), portions of Grant and maybe Douglas County, we have cactus in the shrub-steppe area," Warnick said.
Senate Bill 5698 would establish the basalt cactus — formally known as pediocactus nigrispinus — as the state cactus. The plant is also known as the snowball cactus, hedgehog cactus or Columbia Plateau cactus.
"(The bill) came from a request from a class of students in Kittitas County," said Warnick.
She said the class of elementary students had learned and done research about the shrub-steppe and decided to write letters to Sen. Warnick about making a state cactus.
"You don't think of Washington State as having cactus," Warnick said.
Warnick said she dropped the bill a little bit late in the session but hopes it can at least get a hearing so they can see some of the legislative process in action.
"It's for not only the district, but it's for their education about civics and how to get a bill through," Warnick said.
SB 5698 was first read on Feb. 3 and referred to the State Government and Elections Committee. No other action has been taken.