California Assemblyman Chris Rogers has introduced a bill to designate bigfoot as the “official state cryptid,” a creature whose reported existence is considered unproved. The bill, titled AB 666, was introduced by Rogers on February 14, 2025. It reads: “Existing law establishes the state flag and the state’s emblems, including, among other things, the golden poppy as the official state flower and the California redwood as the official state tree. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would designate bigfoot as the official state cryptid.”
California has 42 official state symbols after Governor Gavin Newsom signed three bills to create new symbols in 2024, including the Dungeness crab as the state crustacean, the banana slug as the state slug, and the black abalone as the state seashell.
“California has some of the most biodiverse environments in the world—with over 5,500 plants, animals, and other life forms. From the majestic California redwood down to the delicate California quail, every organism matters here—and it’s time we celebrated our less cuddly friends before they get too crabby. The Dungeness crab, the banana slug, and the black abalone each bring much to our state and are well deserving of this recognition,” Newsom said in a press release at the time.
As the bill does not require an appropriation, it will now go straight to the floor for a vote. It will need a majority vote to pass.
Sharon Hill of sharonahill.com commented on the bill on Oct. 3, 2025 and said, “Maybe the bill was too funny and unique for these dire times. The action on AB 666 never made it to the next step—a committee hearing. It remains stalled in the legislative process as we enter the last quarter of 2025. Most bills die because they fail to gain support to push through the gauntlet to become law. It’s unclear if this one will also die, but it does look like bigfoot will remain unofficial in all aspects.” (sharonahill.com, 3 Oct 2025)
