ENGROSSED ORIGINAL
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A BILL 1
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25-811
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 5
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To amend Title I of the Fisheries and Wildlife Omnibus Amendment Act of 2016 to designate 10
the Red-backed Salamander as the official state amphibian of the District of Columbia. 11
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 12
act may be cited as the “Red-backed Salamander Official State Amphibian Designation Act of 13
2024”. 14
Sec. 2. Title I of the Fisheries and Wildlife Omnibus Amendment Act of 2016, effective 15
May 19, 2017 (D.C. Law 21- 282; D.C. Official Code § 1- 166.01 et seq. ), is amended by adding a 16
new section 103 to read as follows: 17
“Sec. 103. Official amphibian of the District of Columbia. 18
“(a) The Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) is a species of salamander in the 19
order of amphibians, found throughout the Eastern and Appalachian regions of the United States, 20
including in most wooded areas in the District of Columbia. 21
“(b) Red-backed Salamanders eat bugs, which helps control pests and maintain the 22
balance of the ecosystem. 23
“(c) The Red-Backed Salamander is increasingly recognized as a model organism for a 24
variety of biological subdisciplines, including terrestrial ecology, amphibian ecology, 25 ENGROSSED ORIGINAL
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evolutionary biology, regeneration, ecotoxicology, and animal behavior, in part due to its 26
ubiquity and abundance throughout N ortheastern North America 27
“(d) The Red-backed Salamander(Plethodon cinereus) is hereby designated the official 28
amphibian of the District of Colombia.”. 29
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 30
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 31
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 32
approved October 16, 2006 ( 120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 33
Sec. 4. Effective date. 34
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 35
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review 36
as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 37
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1- 206.02(c)(1)). 38