Bill Text: IA HJR4 | 2019-2020 | 88th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A joint resolution recognizing the fossil crinoid as the state fossil.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-04 - Subcommittee: Bacon, Bergan and Mascher. H.J. 211. [HJR4 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2019-HJR4-Introduced.html
House
Joint
Resolution
4
-
Introduced
HOUSE
JOINT
RESOLUTION
4
BY
MASCHER
HOUSE
JOINT
RESOLUTION
A
Joint
Resolution
recognizing
the
fossil
crinoid
as
the
state
1
fossil.
2
WHEREAS,
the
study
of
fossils
contained
in
sedimentary
rock
3
formations
in
the
state
provides
geologists
with
evidence
of
4
the
geological
and
paleontological
history
of
the
state;
and
5
WHEREAS,
fossils
of
crinoids,
marine
invertebrates
that
6
live
in
all
depths
and
temperatures,
are
abundant
in
the
rock
7
of
marine
origin
underlying
the
state,
including
significant
8
deposits
in
the
cities
of
Burlington,
Le
Grand,
and
Gilmore
9
City;
and
10
WHEREAS,
the
crinoid
has
survived
approximately
500
million
11
years
of
earth
history
and
remains
an
active
part
of
the
12
world’s
ocean
life;
and
13
WHEREAS,
crinoid
skeletal
fragments
make
up
a
significant
14
portion
of
the
limestone
deposits
of
Iowa,
providing
Iowa
15
industry
with
the
limestone
used
for
road
base,
as
agricultural
16
lime,
as
building
stone,
and
as
the
raw
material
for
cement
17
including
“portland
cement”,
which
is
used
to
form
the
most
18
widely
used
type
of
construction
cement;
and
19
WHEREAS,
in
addition
to
the
economic
benefits
resulting
from
20
the
presence
of
fossil
crinoids,
the
crinoid
has
also
brought
21
recognition
to
the
state
and
to
citizens
of
the
state
as
the
22
result
of
the
research
of
both
professionals
and
amateurs;
and
23
WHEREAS,
three
of
these
researchers
have
received
24
recognition
in
the
global
scientific
community
for
their
25
efforts:
Charles
Wachsmuth
(1829-1896),
a
German
immigrant
who
26
settled
at
Burlington
and
who,
due
to
his
collecting,
research,
27
and
writings
regarding
the
crinoid,
received
an
appointment
28
to
the
Museum
of
Comparative
Zoology
at
Harvard
University;
29
Frank
Springer
(1848-1927)
who,
as
an
attorney
practicing
in
30
Burlington,
became
a
friend
and
coworker
of
Charles
Wachsmuth
31
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House
Joint
Resolution
4
-
Introduced
with
whom
he
produced
many
texts
on
crinoids
and
for
whom
a
32
room
at
the
Smithsonian
Institution
is
named;
and
Bernice
H.
33
Bean
(1879-1966)
who,
as
a
farmer
near
Le
Grand,
collected,
34
studied,
and
wrote
about
crinoids,
saving
thousands
of
35
perfectly
preserved
fossil
crinoids
from
destruction,
thereby
36
providing
universities
and
museums
across
the
nation
with
37
exhibits
of
these
specimens,
including
a
past
exhibit
at
the
38
State
Historical
Building;
and
39
WHEREAS,
pictures
of
crinoids
found
in
Iowa
have
been
40
featured
on
the
covers
of
scholarly
journals
and
magazines;
and
41
WHEREAS,
members
of
the
paleontology
community
have
referred
42
to
the
city
of
Burlington
as
“the
crinoid
capital
of
the
43
world”;
and
44
WHEREAS,
the
fossil
crinoid,
also
referred
to
as
the
sea
45
lily,
is
a
symbol
of
the
state’s
geological
and
paleontological
46
heritage,
has
provided
economic
benefits
to
the
state
as
a
47
source
of
limestone,
and
is
recognized
for
its
completeness
and
48
beauty
worldwide;
NOW
THEREFORE,
49
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
50
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H.J.R.
4
Section
1.
STATE
FOSSIL
DESIGNATION.
The
fossil
crinoid
1
shall
officially
be
designated
as
the
state
fossil
of
Iowa.
2
Sec.
2.
OFFICIAL
REGISTER.
The
edition
of
the
Iowa
official
3
register
shall
include
an
appropriate
illustration
of
the
4
fossil
crinoid,
accompanied
by
suitable
text
in
the
section
5
devoted
to
the
state
flower,
state
bird,
state
rock,
and
state
6
tree.
7
EXPLANATION
8
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
9
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
10
This
joint
resolution
proposes
the
official
designation
11
of
the
fossil
crinoid
as
the
state
fossil.
The
resolution
12
describes
the
way
in
which
the
fossil
crinoid
has
benefited
the
13
state,
including
the
fossil’s
economic
and
aesthetic
benefits.
14
The
Iowa
official
register
shall
include
an
appropriate
15
illustration
of
the
fossil
crinoid
accompanied
by
suitable
text
16
in
the
section
devoted
to
the
state’s
official
symbols.
17
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