Colorado state reptile crawls forward

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The Associated Press
Vail, CO Colorado
March 10, 2008

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DENVER, Colorado — A bill designating Colorado's official state reptile is still slowly moving through the Legislature.

On Monday, the Senate gave initial backing to awarding the title to the western painted turtle. It's already been approved by the House.

The idea came from some Westminster fifth-graders who discovered that the state didn't have an official reptile.

Democratic Sen. Jennifer Veiga said the students did some research and suggested the western painted turtle, which she said is found throughout the state.

Veiga says they ruled out a snakes as being mean.

Republican Sen. Greg Brophy suggested "taxasaurus" and "spendasarus," among others. Lawmakers didn't bite.