Overview

• Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday signed AB 581 and SB 765, making the selections official and announcing them via the governor’s office on X.
• AB 581 by Assemblymember Steve Bennett names the bigberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca) as the state shrub, highlighting a native, wildfire-adapted plant that helps stabilize soils after burns.
• SB 765 by Senator Roger Niell designates the giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas) as the state snake, an endemic Central Valley species down more than 90% over the past century and listed as threatened under state and federal law.
• Newsom framed the move as a celebration of California’s biodiversity, calling the state a global hotspot with high numbers of total and endemic species.
• California now counts 42 official state symbols, and agencies and schools are expected to use the new designations in education, outreach, and conservation efforts.