By Steve Bousquet, Times Columnist

In Print: Tuesday, November 1, 2011


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Florida has an official state beverage (orange juice), bird (mockingbird), pie (key lime) and reptile (alligator).

Isn’t it time we had an official state sport?

State Sen. Evelyn Lynn thinks so. She has filed a bill for the 2012 legislative session making auto racing the official sport of Florida.

The Ormond Beach Republican’s Senate district includes much of Volusia County, home to Daytona International Speedway.

Lynn makes a good case, noting that racing has created lots of jobs and Daytona Beach is considered the birthplace of NASCAR, dating to those beach races in the ’50s featuring Hudsons, Chryslers and Mercurys.

“It seemed very appropriate to have that as our state sport,” Lynn said.

Many lawmakers will have other ideas: baseball, perhaps, or golf, or college football.

And, this being the Legislature, someone is bound to suggest dwarf-tossing as the official state sport.

Last spring, two lawmakers tried to get the barking tree frog designated as the state amphibian. It didn’t pass.

Lynn’s bill (SB 266) is one of many filed for the 2012 session that will generate debate on both sides, even though they won’t make major changes in our daily lives.

For example, Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, wants to require police departments to offer lifetime veterinary care to retired police dogs (SB 358).

Fasano said an animal rights group suggested the idea, and he filed it last year, but it didn’t pass. While everybody loves police dogs, that care comes with a cost, to be passed on

Article source: http://feeds.stateline.org/~r/StatelineorgRss-Transportation/~3/GoPnYXPA5_U/1199403