Dinosaur legislation continues to warm the hearts of lawmakers

BOISE Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —4th grade students across Idaho are continuing to win over the hearts of lawmakers, as a piece of legislation they are lobbying for has to overcome one more hurdle before it heads to Idaho Governor Brad Little’s desk to be signed into law.

The students are asking lawmakers to designate the Oryctodromeus as Idaho’s state dinosaur. The dinosaur was about seven feet tall and weighed roughly 70 pounds. It was also considered a plant eating creature.

Paleontologist have only found the dinosaur in Idaho and a very small corner of Montana.

Before sending the legislation to the House floor with a “do pass” recommendation, lawmakers heard testimony from students on why they think its important for the Oryctodromeus to be the state dinosaur.

One student said the creature is a family dinosaur that protects its young just like Idaho.

The Oryctodromeus was first discovered in 2006, and its fossils may be found in the Wayan Formation in the Caribou Mountains.

Currently, seventeen other states have a designated state dinosaur.

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