SB970: Muscadine grape; designating as state grape.


SENATE BILL NO. 970
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology
on February 5, 2018)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Ruff)
A BILL to amend and reenact § 1-510 of the Code of Virginia, relating to official designations; state grape.

Whereas, the muscadine grape is one of the six species of grapes that are native to North America; and

Whereas, the muscadine grape grows abundantly in the mostly warm and humid climate of the Commonwealth; and

Whereas, the muscadine grape species is genetically unique, having 20 pairs of chromosomes instead of the 19 customary to all other grape species; and

Whereas, the muscadine grape contains particularly high concentrations of resveratrol, a natural cancer-fighting agent; and

Whereas, the muscadine grape contains high concentrations of other healthy compounds, including antioxidants and ellagic acid; and

Whereas, it is important for the Commonwealth to recognize and take pride in indigenous fruit-bearing flora such as the muscadine grape (vitis rotundifolia); now, therefore

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 1-510 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 1-510. Official emblems and designations.

The following are hereby designated official emblems and designations of the Commonwealth:

Artisan Center -- "Virginia Artisans Center," located in the City of Waynesboro.

Bat -- Virginia Big-eared bat (Corynorhinos townsendii virginianus).

Beverage -- Milk.

Bird -- Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis).

Blue Ridge Folklore State Center -- Blue Ridge Institute located in the village of Ferrum.

Boat -- "Chesapeake Bay Deadrise."

Cabin Capital of Virginia -- Page County.

Coal Miners' Memorial -- The Richlands Coal Miners' Memorial located in Tazewell County.

Covered Bridge Capital of the Commonwealth -- Patrick County.

Covered Bridge Festival -- Virginia Covered Bridge Festival held in Patrick County.

Dog -- American Foxhound.

Fish (Freshwater) -- Brook Trout.

Fish (Saltwater) -- Striped Bass.

Fleet -- Replicas of the three ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery, which comprised the Commonwealth's founding fleet that brought the first permanent English settlers to Jamestown in 1607, and which are exhibited at the Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg.

Flower -- American Dogwood (Cornus florida).

Folk dance -- Square dancing, the American folk dance that traces its ancestry to the English Country Dance and the French Ballroom Dance, and is called, cued, or prompted to the dancers, and includes squares, rounds, clogging, contra, line, the Virginia Reel, and heritage dances.

Fossil -- Chesapecten jeffersonius.

Gold mining interpretive center -- Monroe Park, located in the County of Fauquier.

Grape -- Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia).

Insect -- Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio glaucus Linne).

Maple Festival -- The Highland County Maple Festival.

Motor sports museum -- "Wood Brothers Racing Museum and Virginia Motor Sports Hall of Fame," located in Patrick County.

Outdoor drama -- "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine Outdoor Drama," adapted for the stage by Clara Lou Kelly and performed in the Town of Big Stone Gap.

Outdoor drama, historical -- "The Long Way Home" based on the life of Mary Draper Ingles, adapted for the stage by Earl Hobson Smith, and performed in the City of Radford.

Rock -- Nelsonite.

Shakespeare festival -- The Virginia Shakespeare Festival held in the City of Williamsburg.

Shell -- Oyster shell (Crassostrea virginica).

Snake -- Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis).

Song emeritus -- "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny," by James A. Bland, as set out in the House Joint Resolution 10, adopted by the General Assembly of Virginia at the Session of 1940.

Song (Popular) -- "Sweet Virginia Breeze," by Robbin Thompson and Steve Bassett.

Song (Traditional) -- "Our Great Virginia," lyrics by Mike Greenly and arranged by Jim Papoulis with music from the original American folk song "Oh Shenandoah."

Spirit -- George Washington's rye whiskey produced at Mount Vernon, Virginia.

Sports hall of fame -- "Virginia Sports Hall of Fame," located in the City of Portsmouth.

Television series -- "Song of the Mountains."

Tree -- American Dogwood (Cornus florida).

War memorial museum -- "Virginia War Museum," (formerly known as the War Memorial Museum of Virginia), located in the City of Newport News.

SENATE BILL NO. 970

Offered January 19, 2018
A BILL to the state grape.
Patron-- Ruff

Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Muscadine grape, indigenous to the state of Virginia, be named the state grape.