Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton supports HB4438 to name official Illinois state bee

Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-23rd) supported HB4438, voting Yes on the proposal to establish an official state bee for Illinois during the 104th General Assembly on May 31, 2026, according to the Illinois Senate; the legislation passed unanimously, 58-0.

The bill text characterizes the legislative measure as "STATE BEE DESIGNATION."

This summary is based on the official wording of the bill and may offer interpretation to enhance clarity regarding its main points.

Essentially, the act updates the State Designations Act by creating Section 17, which identifies the Black-and-Gold Bumblebee, Bombus auricomus, as Illinois’ official state bee. There is no effective date noted, nor are there new regulatory, funding or enforcement measures included, indicating this is primarily a symbolic designation.

The final action for HB4438 was 'Third Reading - Passed.'

Hilton earned a BA from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1983.

A member of the Democratic party, Hilton began representing the 23rd Senate District in 2023, following former state senator Diane Pappas.

Bills in the Illinois legislature undergo a multi-step legislative process beginning with their introduction in the House or Senate, followed by committee hearings, floor assessments, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for signing or veto. The General Assembly functions on a biennial basis, with thousands of measures introduced every session, yet only a small percentage advance to become law.