An Act designating the Black Swallowtail as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts official butterfly in honor of William P. Callahan III

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Dan Donahue and 1 co-sponsor

Designates the Black Swallowtail as Massachusetts' official state butterfly, honoring William P. Callahan III and highlighting pollinator conservation and local biodiversity.

Accompanied a study order, see H5168

Overview

Bill number and title: H. 3320, An Act designating the Black Swallowtail as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts official butterfly in honor of William P. Callahan III

Purpose: Designate the Black Swallowtail butterfly as Massachusetts’s official butterfly and honor William P. Callahan III (deceased 2021) for his life and contributions.

Session status: 194th General Court (2025-2026). The committee process is underway, with a scheduled hearing and a recent extension of the reporting deadline.

Introduced: February 27, 2025

Filed / Docket: House Docket No. 1829; filed January 15, 2025; petition by Rep. Daniel M. Donahue and Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo Jr.

What the bill would do

Designation: Add a new Section 64 to Chapter 2 of the General Laws after existing section 63.

Official butterfly: The Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) would be designated the official butterfly of the Commonwealth.

Description and symbolism: The bill describes the Black Swallowtail as having black wings with yellow spots and blue hindwings, emphasizing its ecological role as a pollinator and its symbolism for environmental stewardship and Massachusetts’s agricultural history.

Honorary note: The designation is made in honor of William P. Callahan III, a long-time Massachusetts resident and active member of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club. The bill recounts his passion for butterfly observation, a notable trip to Costa Rica with his daughter, and his final walks at local sites like the Northampton Community Garden. The language mentions a bench named in his honor at the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas.

Key provisions and changes

Legal designation: Creates a statutory designation of the Black Swallowtail as Massachusetts’s official butterfly.

Contextual language: Includes a descriptive narrative about the species, its habitat adaptability, and its ecological and cultural significance to Massachusetts.

Honorific element: Names William P. Callahan III in connection with the designation.

Who/what would be affected

State symbolism: Massachusetts state symbols would include the Black Swallowtail as the official butterfly.

Public awareness and education: Potential use in school curricula, park signage, state branding, and conservation outreach highlighting pollinators and biodiversity.

Community and conservation groups: Interest from local butterfly clubs, environmental organizations, and educators in leveraging the designation for programming.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Hearing: Scheduled for May 13, 2025 (01:00 PM–05:00 PM) in Committee A-2.

Reporting date: The reporting date has been extended to Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

Committee action: Referred to the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight (February 27, 2025).

Legislative status: The bill is in the standard ceremonial designation process; no appropriations are attached.

Additional notes

The text includes a substantial biographical passage about William P. Callahan III and a narrative rationale for the designation. The designation is ceremonial, with no funding specified in the bill.

If enacted, Massachusetts would formally recognize the Black Swallowtail as its official butterfly and honor the memory and work of William P. Callahan III through this symbol.

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