PHOENIX - There's a state reptile, a state bird, a state bird and even official state neckwear.
But what's a place like Arizona like without an official state firearm?
Not much, the way Sen. Ron Gould sees it. So the Lake Havasu Republican has crafted legislation to formally give that designation to the Colt single action Army revolver.
And it's not just Gould. He got 42 other Republicans from the House and Senate to sign on as co-sponsors of the measure.
So why does Arizona need a state firearm?
"Just like we need to tell Turkey that we're friends," Gould told Capitol Media Services.
Put another way, Gould he said it's a method of sending some sort of official statement.
"I think Arizona has a tradition of being a Wild West state," he explained. "The Colt single action Army revolver epitomizes the Wild West heritage of Arizona."
If approved, the weapon would join various other items that lawmakers have designated over the years as "official."
For example, petrified wood is the official state fossil.
The cactus wren is the state bird, the palo verde is the state tree and the "pure white waxy flower of the saguaro cactus" is the state flower.
But the list has grown over the years as legislators - or their constituents - have made suggestions.
The two-tailed swallowtail became the state butterfly in 2001 after a statewide poll.
The ever-present turquoise in silver jewelry sold all over the state is the official gemstone.
If you want to be properly dressed, you wear the bola tie which is the official state neckwear.
And just this year, after realizing its unofficial status, Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation designating "The Grand Canyon State" as the state nickname.
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