Chapter 2. State Flag And Emblems of California Government Code >> Division 2. >> Title 1. >> Chapter 2.

The Bear Flag is the State Flag of California. As viewed with the hoist end of the flag to the left of the observer there appears in the upper left-hand corner of a white field a five-pointed red star with one point vertically upward and in the middle of the white field a brown grizzly bear walking toward the left with all four paws on a green grass plot, with head and eye turned slightly toward the observer; a red stripe forms the length of the flag at the bottom, and between the grass plot and the red stripe appear the words CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC. Dimensions, excluding heading and unfinished flag ends: The hoist or flag width is two-thirds of the fly or flag length; the red stripe width is one-sixth of the hoist width. The state official flag hoist widths shall be two, three, four, five, six and eight feet. The diameter of an imaginary circle passing through the points of the star is one-tenth of the fly length; the distance of the star center from the hoist end is one-sixth of the fly length and the distance from the star center to the top of the flag is four-fifths of the star-center distance from the hoist end. The length of the bear diagonally from the nose tip to the rear of right hind paw is two-thirds of the hoist width; the height of the bear from shoulder tip vertically to a line touching the bottoms of the front paws is one-half the length of the bear; the location of the bear in the white field is such that the center of the eye is midway between the top and bottom of the white field and the midpoint of the bear's length is midway between the fly ends. The grass plot in length is eleven-twelfths of the hoist width and the plot ends are equidistant from the fly ends; the average width of the plot between the rear of the left front paw and the front of the right rear paw is one-tenth of the grass plot length. The height of the condensed gothic letters, as shown on the representation, is one-half of the red stripe width and they occupy a lineal space of two-thirds of the fly length with the beginning and ending letters of the words equidistant from the fly ends. Colors: The following color references are those of the Textile Color Card Association of the United States, Inc., New York; the colors on the flag are to be substantially the same as these color references. White--of the white field, front of bear's eye, and on the bear's claws is White, cable number 70001. Red--of the red stripe, the star, and the bear's tongue is Old Glory, cable number 70180. Green--of the grass plot is Irish Green, cable number 70168. Brown--of the bear is Maple Sugar, cable number 70129. Dark brown--of the bear outline, paws, shading, fur undulations, iris of the eye, the 12 grass tufts in the grass plot, and the letters is Seal, cable number 70108. The general design and the details of the Bear Flag, excluding colors, shall correspond substantially with the following representation:

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NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE TEXT: The Bear Flag appears in the hard-copy publication of the chaptered bill. See Chapter 1140, page 2639, Statutes of 1953.

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This shall be the official State Flag of all state, county, city and town agencies. The flags now issued or in use shall continue in service until replacement is required.

"Eureka" is the official State Motto.

"The Golden State" is the official State Nickname.

The golden poppy (Eschscholtzia) is the official State Flower. April 6 of each year is hereby designated California Poppy Day.

(a) West Coast Swing Dance is the official state dance.
  (b) The Square Dance is the official state folk dance.

"I Love You, California," a song published in 1913 with lyrics by F. B. Silverwood and music by A. F. Frankenstein, is an official state song.

The California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens, Sequoia gigantea) is the official state tree.

(a) The California desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is the official state reptile.
  (b) The Pacific leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the official state marine reptile.

The California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) is the official state amphibian.

The California valley quail (Lophortyx californica) is the official bird and avifaunal emblem of the State.

"The Californian" is the official state tall ship.

The official colors of the State are blue and gold. The specifications, references, and designations for the official colors are as follows: Specifications: National Bureau of Standards, Research Paper RP 1700. International Commission on Illumination: Blue: Y 0.063 x 0.204 y 0.165 Gold: Y 0.449 x 0.474 y 0.458 Munsell Renotation: Blue: H V/C 7.3 PB 2.9/8.8 Gold: H V/C 2.0 Y 7.1/11.3 Munsell Book Notation: Blue: H V/C 7.2 PB 2.9/9.1 Gold: H V/C 1 Y 7.3/11 References: Textile Color Card Association of New York, Inc. Blue: Yale Blue, cable number 70086, Standard Color Card of America, 9th edition. Gold: Golden Yellow, cable number 65001, United States Army Card of Official Colors for Arms and Services. Designations: Inter-Society Color Council-National Bureau of Standards: Yale Blue: Deep purplish blue. Golden Yellow: Vivid yellow.

(a) The tartan defined in subdivision (b) is the official State Tartan, and may be claimed by any resident of the state.
  (b) The official State Tartan is generally described as a pattern or sett consisting of alternate squares of meadow green and pacific blue that are separated and surrounded by narrow charcoal bands. The squares of meadow green are divided by a gold seam that is supported by charcoal lines on each side. There are three redwood stripes, the middle of which is broader, that are added to each side of the gold seam. The pacific blue square is divided by a sky blue stripe, which is supported on each side by charcoal lines. The tartan is specifically defined by the following weave code: Y..B..G..S..G...S..G..S..G..B..A..B..K... Ancient Colors 8...2..20..4..20..8..20..4..20..32..56..2...8... Full Pivots This weave code means that the threads begin with 8 threads of yellow, followed by 2 threads of black, 20 threads of green, 4 threads of scarlet, 20 threads of green, 8 threads of scarlet, 20 threads of green, 4 threads of scarlet, 20 threads of green, 32 threads of black, 56 threads of azure, 2 threads of black, and 8 threads of sky blue. At that point the weave pivots and returns, beginning with 2 threads of black, and continuing the sequence in reverse order through 8 threads of yellow, at which point it pivots back again.

The California dog-face butterfly (Zerene eurydice) is the official State Insect.

Lace lichen (Ramalina menziesii) is the official state lichen.

The state animal is the California Grizzly Bear (Ursus Californicus) as depicted in outline, details, and in colors on the official representation in the custody of the Secretary of State. The color references of the bear shall be in accordance with those set forth in Section 420. All state representations of the state animal in details and in colors shall be in accordance with this section and shall correspond substantially with the following representation thereof:

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NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE TEXT: The California Grizzly Bear appears in the hard-copy publication of the chaptered bill. See Chapter 1140, page 2639, Statutes of 1953.

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Native gold is the official State Mineral and mineralogic emblem.

Serpentine is the official State Rock and lithologic emblem.

Benitoite is the official state gemstone.

The California gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) is the official State Marine Mammal.

The garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus) is the official state marine fish.

The saber-toothed cat (Smilodon californicus) is the official State Fossil.

The Chipped Stone Bear (bear-shaped eccentric) is the official state prehistoric artifact.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that San Joaquin Soil is the official soil of California. It is one of four soils to be originally described at the beginning of this century, and the beginning of soil studies in California. San Joaquin Soil is approximately 50,000 to 250,000 years old and was derived from and deposited by the runoff of swollen streams during the glacial period, from mountain glaciers in the Sierra Nevada.
  (b) The Legislature hereby designates San Joaquin Soil as the official State Soil.

Purple needlegrass, or Nassella pulchra, is the official State Grass.

The general design and the details of the Seal of the Governor of the State of California, excluding colors, shall correspond substantially with the following representation thereof:

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NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE TEXT: The Governor's Seal appears in the hard-copy publication of the chaptered bill. See Chapter 963, page 2203, Statutes of 1957.

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The roman numerals shall designate the sequence in office of the Governor.

When the seal of the Governor is prepared in colors, the Bear Flag shall be shown in colors as set forth in Section 420; the blue field back of the flag, the outside border of the lettering "Seal of the Governor of the State of California", and the roman numerals shall be in Yale Blue, Cable No. 70086; the 31 stars, and the background upon which the lettering and roman numerals appear, shall be of United States Army Color Card designation Golden Yellow, No. 65001. The rising sun shall be of Indian Orange, Cable No. 70072; the flowers of the poppy shall be shades of Poppy Orange, No. 70069, Princeton Orange, No. 70070, and Golden Poppy, No. 70071. The stem and pods of the poppy shall be in shades of Jade Green, No. 70166 and Irish Green, No. 70168. Colors herein specified are those of the Textile Color Card Association of the United States, Inc., New York.

The general design and details of the flag of the Governor of the State of California, excluding colors, shall correspond substantially with the following representation thereof:

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NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE TEXT: The Governor's Flag appears in the hard-copy publication of the chaptered bill. See Chapter 963, page 2204, Statutes of 1957.

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When the flag of the Governor is prepared in colors, the following colors shall be used: The field of the flag shall be Yale Blue, Cable No. 70086; the four stars in each of the corners of the flag shall be white; the golden fringe, circle of the center seal, and the rising sun within the seal shall be United States Army Color Card designation Golden Yellow, No. 65001; the field of the seal shall be Independence Blue, Cable No. 70076; the 31 stars in the seal and the word "Eureka" shall be white; the rising sun shall be Indian Orange, Cable No. 70072; the mountains shall be shades of Orchid, Cable No. 70133, and Amethyst, Cable No. 70134; the water shall be Grotto Blue, Cable No. 70022; the ship shall be Independence Blue, Cable No. 70076, and white; the terrain shall be shades of Oakwood, Cable No. 70093, and Cork, Cable No. 70092; the miner's shirt and pick shall be Plum, Cable No. 70135; the face and arms of Goddess Minerva and of the miner shall be Ecru, Cable No. 70134; the helmet and breastplate of Minerva shall be Robins Egg, Cable No. 70204; the dress of Minerva shall be white; the robe of Minerva and the pants of the miner shall be Cardinal, Cable No. 70081; the shield of Minerva and the sheaf of wheat shall be United States Army Color Card designation Golden Yellow No. 65001, and Oakwood, Cable No. 70093; the spear of Minerva shall be Oakwood, Cable No. 70094 and white; the cornucopia shall be white and Amethyst, Cable No. 70134; the grapes shall be Amethyst, Cable No. 70134; the fruit shall be Cardinal, Cable No. 70081, and Irish Green, Cable No. 70168; the grass shall be Irish Green, Cable No. 70168; the bear shall be in colors as set forth in Section 420. All white shall be Cable No. 70001. All Cable number colors herein specified are those of the Textile Color Card Association of the United States, Inc., New York.

The California Historical Society is the official state historical society.

The California State Military Museum and Resource Center is the official state military museum.

Bodie is the official state gold rush ghost town.

Calico is the official state silver rush ghost town.

The California Vietnam Veterans Memorial is the official state Vietnam veterans war memorial.