House approves changing Utah’s state gem to rare 'red beryl' after floor amendments

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House voted Feb. 3 to change the state gem from topaz to the rare mineral red beryl, commonly described during debate as "red emerald," approving House Bill 161 after amendments to clarify naming and address procedural concerns.

Representative Tyler, sponsor of the bill, said Utah is uniquely positioned to claim the rare stone and argued the state should adopt a gem that cannot be duplicated by other states. "Utah is very unique in that we have the world's only deposit of red emerald," Tyler said on the floor.

Floor debate included questions about availability, ownership of claims (federal land vs. private claims) and whether the common or scientific name should appear first in the statute. Representative Buffmeier noted a conflict-of-interest (membership in a local gem-and-mineral club) and raised concerns that private ownership might limit public access to the stone.

Supporters emphasized state branding and uniqueness; opponents and some members urged caution because the deposit is limited and on federal land. After amendments clarifying that the stone's commonly used and scientific names would both be noted (for example, listing red beryl with its common name), the House passed HB 161 with a reported vote of 55 affirmative and 15 negative and referred it to the Senate.

Next steps: HB 161 will move to the Senate. The House record includes a note that members acknowledged conflicts of interest where present and sought consistent naming conventions in the bill text.