SB225 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Garlan GudgerSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

State symbols; designate Little Bluestem as the official State Grass of Alabama.

Summary

SB225 designates Little Bluestem as Alabama's official State Native Grass, with an effective date of October 1, 2024.

What This Bill Does

It designates Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) as the official State Native Grass of Alabama. The bill explains that Little Bluestem supports healthier ecosystems by providing habitat and food for wildlife and by helping with drought resilience and soil erosion control. It also ties the designation to conservation and ecological restoration efforts and the rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems. The designation becomes effective October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects

• Alabama ecosystems and wildlife, which would gain habitat, nesting sites, and food sources from Little Bluestem and benefit from improved drought and erosion resilience.
• Alabama residents and visitors, who would experience aesthetic improvements in landscapes and natural areas due to the grass's distinctive appearance.

Key Provisions

• Designates Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) as the official State Native Grass of Alabama.
• Notes that Little Bluestem is a warm-season grass native to lower Canada and most of the United States (excluding Nevada and Washington) and describes its ecological benefits for habitat, cover, and wildlife food sources.
• States that designating Little Bluestem aligns with conservation and ecological restoration initiatives and aids rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems, especially in areas affected by agriculture, urbanization, and other land-use changes.
• Establishes an effective date of October 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

State & State Officers