Indiana Lawmaker Says She'll Sponsor State Insect Bill

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — A northern Indiana lawmaker says she'll sponsor a bill next session that would make the firefly the state's official insect.

WLFI-TV reports Democratic state Rep. Sheila Klinker of Lafayette told second-graders at a West Lafayette elementary school Wednesday that she'll back the bill.

The students at Cumberland Elementary have been working with Purdue Entomology Professor Tom Turpin to lobby for a bill calling for Indiana to adopt the firefly as its state insect.

Students at the school have already written 670 letters that will be delivered to the Indiana Statehouse in the fall.

The class has also reached out to Lafayette state Sen. Ron Alting, who taking the idea under consideration.

Its teacher, Maggie Samudio, says Indiana, Iowa and Michigan are the only states without official insects.