Senators Endorse 4th Graders' Plan to Name State Wildcat

A Senate committee is unanimously backing fourth graders' plan to name the bobcat New Hampshire's official state wildcat.

After hearing from the students Thursday, senators are holding off on introducing an amendment to create a study committee on naming state symbols. Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley says he will introduce the amendment later, but did not want to bog down the bobcat bill.

An earlier effort by fourth graders to designate the red-tailed hawk as the state raptor didn't fare as well. When the bill came to the House floor, members ridiculed the proposal and one said the red-tailed hawk would be a better mascot for Planned Parenthood because it rips its prey apart "limb by limb." The debacle is prompting senators to seek a more formal naming policy.