Pennsylvania HB 1090: An Act designating the Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma tsugae) as the official State mushroom of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1207 PRINTER'S NO. 3552
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1090
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY STEELE, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, RIVERA, K. HARRIS,
ZIMMERMAN AND SALISBURY, APRIL 1, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED,
JUNE 9, 2026
AN ACT
Designating the Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma tsugae) as the
official State mushroom of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Findings and declarations.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) Mushrooms are the transitory, fruiting VISIBLE
bodies of fungi, ancient organisms that help sustain life on
Earth in a variety of ways.
(2) This Commonwealth is home to more than 7,400 species
of fungi.
(3) Mushrooms are an essential part of a healthy
ecosystem, decomposing organic matter and redistributing
nutrients needed for healthy soil.
(4) Mushrooms provide a pathway for environmental
protections, including use in water purification and carbon
absorption.
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(5) Mushrooms are foraged and cultivated for consumption
and medicinal use.
(6) As its common name implies, the Hemlock Varnish
Shelf is a native mushroom closely associated with the State
tree of Pennsylvania, the Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis),
and is widely distributed throughout this Commonwealth.
(7) Unlike many mushrooms, the Hemlock Varnish Shelf is
easy to identify and is often visible year-round.
(8) A type of reishi mushroom, the Hemlock Varnish Shelf
is valued for its medicinal properties, including use as an
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and to support regulation
of the immune system.
(9) Naming the Hemlock Varnish Shelf as the official
State mushroom of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will
promote appreciation, education and the study of mushrooms in
this State.
Section 2. Official State mushroom.
The Hemlock Varnish Shelf is hereby designated as the
official State mushroom of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Section 3. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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