Mocking legislation he considers anti-immigrant, a Mississippi Democrat has introduced a bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America" for official state purposes, according to news reports from the Magnolia State.

Media outlets, including Gambit, Fox News and the Huffington Post, ran with the news of Rep. Steve Holland's seemingly serious legislative move. HB150 reads:

For all official purposes within the State of Mississippi, the body of water that is located directly south of Hancock, Harrison and Jackson Counties shall be known as the "Gulf of America." This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2012.

Holland drew this rebuke from Cafe Con Leche Republicans:

Apparently you don't take your responsibilities seriously. Surely the State of Mississippi has more pressing matters to attend to than this. Did you stop to think of the expense of rewriting textbooks or changing maps? For that matter, did you stop to think about what this bill would do to Mississippi's reputation? If this bill passes the legislature and is signed into law, perhaps it is time to rename the Mississippi River. After all, sharing a name with a state that wants to rewrite maps out of disdain for Mexicans would be a disgrace to the rest of the nation. The Lincoln River would be a suitable substitute name, in honor of a great man, don't you think?

The group's president concluded by asking Holland "to withdraw your bill and spare us all further embarrassment."

Holland later fessed up that it was just a satirical jibe at "mean-spirited and insignificant" legislation supported by majority Republicans, including Gov. Phil Bryant, the Associated Press says.

NPR has updated its initial report with confirmation that the bill is a spoof. On Deadline alumnus Mark Memmott writes on The Two-Way blog that Daniel Cherry of Mississippi Public Broadcasting spoke with Holland a while ago:

Holland told Daniel that so many of his Republican colleagues seem to want to push anything or anyone Mexican out of the state that he's just trying to "embrace" their cause and help them out. In other words, he's introduced a bill that he thinks will make a satirical point by being outrageous.

NPR hopes to have audio of the interview.

For the time being, the Mississippi House Marine Resources Committee is set to hold a hearing on HB150.

NPR's Memmott points out that the legislative ploy is "similar to that of a Democratic lawmaker in Oklahoma who recently introduced a bill saying that life begins at ejaculation."