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The northern spring peeper is one of three candidates school children across the state have put forward to be Michigan's official amphibian.

(Wikimedia Commons)

LANSING -- Lawmakers may be introducing multiple measures calling for an official state amphibian, but don't expect a lot of croaking about which frog will get the nod.

Rep. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) introduced a bill this week calling for the northern spring peeper to be named the state's official amphibian, and Rep. Matt Lori (R-Constantine) introduced a bill last month arguing for the Blanchard's cricket frog.

A

third bill

, introduced last year by Rep. Pat Somerville (R-New Boston), champions the eastern gray tree frog as Michigan's semi-aquatic emblem.

The legislation doesn't set up a floor fight over which frog is the best frog, however. Singh said the bills are part of an educational experience for school children, as his bill was introduced after lobbying from third- and fourth-grade students from an Okemos elementary school.

"I had a third- and fourth-grade class from Okemos Montessori School contact me," Singh said Thursday. "They put together a one-pager for me to analyze why the state needs an official amphibian."

Singh said according to the students, 20 states already have an official amphibian, but not Michigan. "They made their case for the spring peeper," Singh said.

The spring peeper and the gray tree frog are identified as being common across the state, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which maintains an online guide to help residents identify the state's frogs and toads.

The Blanchard's cricket frog is considered a "species of special concern" by the DNR after large population drops in the late 1970s and 1980s.

All three of the bills have been referred to the House Government Operations committee, where they aren't likely to see much debate.

"I'm sure we won't be looking at this issue any time soon," Singh said. "If there is a point some time in the fall to have that conversation, I’d be glad to have that conversation."

Brian Smith is the statewide education and courts reporter for MLive. Email him at bsmith11@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.