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Home/Bills/SB 1178California · 2025–2026 Regular Session
Senate BillIntroducedGovernment

SB 1178: California State Library: study: state wasp.

California · Senate · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified May 18, 2026

What SB 1178 does, verified May 18, 2026

<p>The California State Library is required to conduct a public consultation study to determine the best candidate for the official state wasp of California. The library must submit a report with its recommendations by January 1, 2028. These provisions will be repealed on January 1, 2032.</p>

Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. (2026-05-14)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Sen. Eloise Gómez ReyesAuthor · California State Senate
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Recent actions13 total · showing 5
May. 14, 2026May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
May. 08, 2026Set for hearing May 14.
Apr. 27, 2026April 27 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Apr. 17, 2026Set for hearing April 27.
Apr. 16, 2026Re-referred to Com. on APPR. pursuant to Joint Rule 10.5.
Full action history, 8 earlier actionsConnect Plus
Latest bill textAmended version, April 15, 2026 · 570 words

Amended IN Senate April 15, 2026
Amended IN Senate April 07, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 1178

Introduced by Senator Reyes

February 18, 2026

An act to add and repeal Section 425.17 to of the Government Code, relating to state government.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 1178, as amended, Reyes. State wasp. California State Library: study: state wasp.
Existing law establishes the state flag and the state’s emblems, including, among other things, the golden poppy as the official state flower, the California redwood as the official state tree, and the California Grizzly Bear as the official state animal. 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 California yellow jacket (Vespula sulphurea) as the official state wasp.

This bill would require the California State Library to conduct a study, in consultation with the public, on the best candidate for the official state wasp. 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.
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NOYES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

Section 425.17 is added to the Government Code, to read:

425.17.

(a) The California State Library shall conduct a study, in consultation with the public, on the best candidate for the official state wasp.
(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 hereby finds and declares all of the following:

(a)The California yellow jacket, or Vespula sulphurea, is native to California’s Upper Sonora region.

(b)The California yellow jacket is not a common species. Known for its unique greenish-yellow “racing stripes,” it can be identified by the longitudinal bands across its thorax.

(c)Like most yellow jacket species, their nests are built in underground nests and follow the typical hive system with a queen, drone, and workers that protect the colony.

(d)Their diet consists of sugars from nectar, fruits, and plant sap, as well as proteins from other insects such as spiders, flies, and caterpillars. Yellow jackets also benefit gardeners and farmers by acting as natural pest control. These effective predators only eat live prey like beetles, caterpillars, and invasive fruit flies that damage crops.

(e)Colton High School in the County of San Bernardino, which opened in 1895, has had the yellow jacket as the school mascot since the 1950s named Yogi. Several other schools across the state such as Berkeley High School and Franklin High School in Stockton also have the yellow jacket as the school mascot.

SEC. 2.Section 425.17 is added to the Government Code, to read:
425.17.

The California yellow jacket (Vespula sulphurea) is the official state wasp.

Text of SB 1178 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions
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