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

PRINTER'S NO.    1207

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1090
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY STEELE, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, RIVERA, K.HARRIS AND
        ZIMMERMAN, APRIL 1, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
        DEVELOPMENT, APRIL 1, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Designating the Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma tsugae) as the
 2      official State mushroom of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
 3      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 4   hereby enacts as follows:
 5   Section 1.   Findings and declarations.
 6      The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
 7          (1)     Mushrooms are the transitory, fruiting bodies of
 8      fungi, ancient organisms that help sustain life on Earth in a
 9      variety of ways.
10          (2)     This Commonwealth is home to more than 7,400 species
11      of fungi.
12          (3)     Mushrooms are an essential part of a healthy
13      ecosystem, decomposing organic matter and redistributing
14      nutrients needed for healthy soil.
15          (4)     Mushrooms provide a pathway for environmental
16      protections, including use in water purification and carbon
17      absorption.
 1          (5)   Mushrooms are foraged and cultivated for consumption
 2      and medicinal use.
 3          (6)   As its common name implies, the Hemlock Varnish
 4      Shelf is a native mushroom closely associated with the State
 5      tree of Pennsylvania, the Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis),
 6      and is widely distributed throughout this Commonwealth.
 7          (7)   Unlike many mushrooms, the Hemlock Varnish Shelf is
 8      easy to identify and is often visible year-round.
 9          (8)   A type of reishi mushroom, the Hemlock Varnish Shelf
10      is valued for its medicinal properties, including use as an
11      anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and to support regulation
12      of the immune system.
13          (9)   Naming the Hemlock Varnish Shelf as the official
14      State mushroom of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will
15      promote appreciation, education and the study of mushrooms in
16      this State.
17   Section 2.   Official State mushroom.
18      The Hemlock Varnish Shelf is hereby designated as the
19   official State mushroom of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
20   Section 3.   Effective date.
21      This act shall take effect immediately.




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