The Kemp's ridley sea turtle, the official sea turtle of Texas. Photo by USFWS Endangered Species.

During the 83rd Regular Session, lawmakers added four new official state symbols to the more than 60 state symbols that represent the Lone Star State. Pecan pie and peach cobbler became our official state pie and state cobbler, respectively, and pumpkin was designated the official state squash. The endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is now the official state sea turtle.

See the entire collection of state symbols on our Pinterest page, "State Symbols of Texas." For each symbol we included an image, as well as a link to the resolution that designated it. You can also visit the library and see an exhibit all about the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle.

Did You Know? Male Kemp’s ridley sea turtles spend their entire lives at sea; the females come ashore only to lay eggs, and they do so in large, synchronized groups, an extraordinary phenomenon known in Spanish as arribada, meaning "arrival."

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• See how American families manage the costs of higher education. (SallieMae, 2013)
• Explore how state and local pensions are funded. (Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, July 2013)
• Consider the income families need to maintain an adequate standard of living. (Economic Policy Institute, July 3, 2013)
• Examine marine protections implemented by states. (Marine Conservation Institute, 2013)
• Note that while there has been a rise in physical activity across the country, obesity rates continue to rise. (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, July 10, 2013)
• Read about how data collection affects privacy. (LLRX.com, July 21, 2013)

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• Examine state spending on student financial aid. (The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 17, 2013)
• Explore employer responsibility under the Affordable Care Act. (Kaiser Family Foundation, July 15, 2013)
• See how the number of single father households has increased since 1960. (Pew Research, July 2, 2013)
• Consider U.S. population health. (The JAMA Network, July 10, 2013)

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• Explore ways to reduce the risks of speeding-related fatal crashes among teenagers. (Governors Highway Safety Association, June 25, 2013)
• Read predictions about the state of the American economy in 2020. (Center on Education and the Workforce, Georgetown University, June 2013)
• Consider the performance of state highway systems. (Reason Foundation, July 2, 2013)
• Examine the growing epidemic of prescription painkiller overdoses. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 2013)
• Track state-by-state energy statistics. (U.S. Energy Information Administration, accessed July 2013)
• Find local gasoline prices. (U.S. Department of Energy / U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, July 9, 2013)

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• Read the new school nutrition standards. (U.S. Department of Agriculture, June 27, 2013)
• Find out about beach water quality for beaches all over the country. (Natural Resources Defense Council, 2013)
• Review recent figures on job openings and turnover. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 11, 2013)
• See how many jobs the states created over the past year, with Texas in the lead. (Stateline, June 14, 2013)
• Consider how smartphones are helping to bridge the digital divide. (U.S. Census Bureau, June 10, 2013)
• Examine the "too big to fail" financial institutions. (Congressional Research Service, June 19, 2013)
• Track the frequency of words that appear in the Congressional Record. (Sunlight Foundation, accessed July 2013)

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