SB 970 — Muscadine grape; designating as state grape.

SESSION history | hilite | pdf | print version 18105710D18106398D SENATE BILL NO.

970 OfferedAMENDMENT JanuaryIN 19,THE 2018NATURE 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 stateCode grape.of Virginia, relating to official designations;

----------state Patron--grape. Ruff ---------- Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology ---------- Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

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:

That § 1.1-510 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

That§ the1-510. Muscadine grape, indigenous to the state of Virginia, be named the state grape.

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).