PENNSYLVANIA The status of the state's symbols

Bills before the Legislature would designate a state dance, cookie and more.
HARRISBURG (AP) -- Will this be the year state legislators finally get down to business -- and decide whether the polka or square dance should be the official state dance?
Or will they compromise, and name both a state dance and a state folk dance?
Never mind the budget battle; lawmakers are floating seven bills to designate state symbols ranging from dirt to dinosaurs.
The honorees would join 17 titleholders honored in past legislative sessions -- usually by lawmakers promoting a pet cause. The dance issue is a perennial source of debate among the power brokers in Harrisburg.
"This has been going on forever. Let's just get it over with," said Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Northampton. "We don't have a budget, and we have time for this?"
For the record, she danced the polka at her wedding.
The Legislature danced around the issue two weeks ago, putting off a vote on the compromise bill amid fears it would seem trivial given the stalled budget.
A long-standing tradition
The state's official flag, coat of arms and seal date back to the 1700s.
The naming of more mundane symbols, though, is a modern invention that started in the 1930s when the ruffed grouse became the official state game bird and the hemlock the official state tree.
In the years since, the Legislature has named a state dog (Great Dane), fish (brook trout), flower (mountain laurel), animal (white-tailed deer), insect (firefly, specifically the Poturis Pennsylvania De Geer breed) and beverage (milk).
Not to mention the official state beautification and conservation plant. Give up? It's the crown vetch.
A sweeter issue pits the chocolate chip nominated by an elementary school class in the district of Sen. Robert Thompson, R-Chester, against the Nazareth sugar cookie endorsed by Rep. Craig Dally, R-Northampton.
What's governor's stance?
Gov. Ed Rendell, known for his strong opinions about football, is steering clear of the likes of the Capitol cookie controversy.
"He'll defer to the Legislature because he loves sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies equally as well, and he dances the square dance and polka equally poorly," said his spokeswoman, Kate Philips.
Correctness, political or otherwise, is beside the point. The official state vegetable isn't even a vegetable. The mushroom -- technically a fungus -- was adopted by the Legislature a decade ago.
"I remember when we were doing that in the House, and for fun I nominated [state Rep.] Frank Pistella as the official state vegetable," said Sen. Allen Kukovich, D-Westmoreland.
These days, voters might not see the humor, he acknowledged.
"It looks bad at any point, but it's even worse when we're not getting on with our business," he said.
The dance debate is serious stuff to some, however.
"Compared to fixing the medical malpractice issue, this is minor," said state Rep. Paul Clymer, R-Bucks, chairman of the House committee that handles state symbol bills. "But you have to keep in mind this is about people. We estimate there are 6,000 to 10,000 activists on this issue. This is very important to them."