Washington Goes Prehistoric: Suciasaurus Named State Dinosaur

OLYMPIA – The Suciasaurus rex took one giant leap towards becoming the official state dinosaur of Washington, as it passed the Senate with a resounding vote of 39-10. This is a major victory for the supporters of HB 1020, a bill that seeks to honor the discovery of a therapod fossil at Sucia Island State Park and the enthusiastic and persistent efforts of students who made Washington’s state dinosaur a reality.

Representative Melanie Morgan (D-Parkland), who has championed the bill for the past four years, expressed her joy at the outcome.

“The students in my district deserve to have their voices heard in government and, today, those voices were heard loud and clear. Designating the Suciasaurus rex the state dinosaur has always been about civic engagement for our youth and their government. It is about giving them the opportunity to share their views and help shape the state they live in. Passing their Dino-mite bill shows that we value their opinions and their contributions to our communities,” said Morgan.

The idea to designate the Suciasaurus rex as the official state dinosaur was first proposed in 2019 by Ms. Cole’s fourth-grade class at Elmhurst Elementary in the Franklin-Pierce School District. After learning about the legislative process, they brought the proposal to Rep. Morgan, who saw the potential in their vision and worked tirelessly to bring it to fruition.

The bill will now return to the House for concurrence before being sent to the governor’s desk for approval. With this milestone achievement, the Suciasaurus rex is poised to become a lasting symbol of Washington’s commitment to education, civic engagement, and paleontological heritage.

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