Hold the pumpkin pie? Bill would abolish Illinois state symbols

Moderation in all things is an admonition one state senator believes also should be applied to state symbols.

Senate Bill 690, sponsored by freshman Sen. Tom Rooney, R-Rolling Meadows, proposes that Illinois get rid of symbols such as the state bird (cardinal), state flower (violet) and state animal (white-tailed deer), among many others.

Rooney says too many state symbols has caused the value of the "important" ones to suffer. He said his legislation would leave only the state flag, state seal, state motto and state song.

"I think that by overuse, the value of a state designation drops every time we add a new one," Rooney said. "I thought maybe, except a flag, a seal and a slogan and a state song, pretty much anything beyond that is something that's overused. Therefore, we need to push a little value back into these things."

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