Ceremonial fossil bill signing draws crowd (VIDEO)

sternberg and sam signing — Gov. Brownback ceremonial signing of the Kansas state fossil bill Wednesday at Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback was at Sternberg Museum of Natural History on Wednesday afternoon for a ceremonial signing of the new law designating two state fossils:

The bill passed the Kansas House and Senate by large margins, thanks in part to the testimonies of Serena Colyer, daughter of Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, and Scott City High School senior Steven Fisher, who were both in Hays for the ceremony.

Fisher has been lobbying for official state fossils as part of his 4-H geology project:

A replica Pteranodon, the Kansas flying fossil, on display at the Sternberg museum.

The Kansas marine fossil Mosasaur, (Tylosaurus family) on display at Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays.

The marine fossil Tylosaurus and the flying fossil Pteranodon are the two Kansas state fossils. Sternberg Museum features both fossils in its collection, along with replicas of both animals.

The complete Tylosaurus was collected and mounted by George Sternberg.