The new bill authored by State Sen. Melissa Ratcliff in the Wisconsin Senate seeks to officially recognize the monarch butterfly as a state symbol and update state records accordingly, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “designating the monarch butterfly as the state butterfly”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, the bill designates the monarch butterfly as the state butterfly of Wisconsin. It requires that the Wisconsin Blue Book, which already includes information on other state symbols such as the state song, tree, bird, and others, be updated to include the monarch butterfly. By amending and creating specific sections in the state statutes, the bill formalizes the monarch butterfly’s status as a state symbol. The change to the statutes ensures that the butterfly will be officially recognized and that this information will be documented in the state’s comprehensive Blue Book.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Paul Tittl (Republican-25th District), Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Jamie Wall (Democrat-30th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), and Representative Brienne Brown (Democrat-43rd District), along nine other co-sponsors.
Melissa Ratcliff has co-authored or authored another 84 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.
Ratcliff graduated from Madison College in 2000.
Ratcliff, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2025 to represent the state’s 16th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Melissa Agard.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB334 | 06/19/2025 | Designating the monarch butterfly as the state butterfly |
| SB305 | 06/02/2025 | Grants to mental health clubhouses and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB282 | 05/29/2025 | Membership on the Board of Nursing |
| SB247 | 05/09/2025 | Local and private regulation of accessory dwelling units. (FE) |
| SB223 | 04/25/2025 | Discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, insurance coverage, national guard, jury duty, and adoption and in the receipt of mental health or vocational rehabilitation services |
| SB217 | 04/16/2025 | Eliminating the publication requirement for a name change petition seeking to conform an individual’s name with the individual’s gender identity |
| SB169 | 04/03/2025 | Privacy protections for judicial officers |
