Friends of the Lake Superior Agate Plate (FOTAP)

Celebrate Minnesota’s State Gem: The Lake Superior Agate

Friends of the Lake Superior Agate Plate is dedicated to promoting a new license plate design that honors Minnesota’s state gemstone and the North Shore. H.F. No. 3699 was introduced by Rep. David Gottfried (40B) and Rep. Alex Falconer (49B) on 2/25/26 in the MN House of Representatives.

THANK YOU Minnesota House of Representatives for passing our bill HF3699 on a 110-22 vote on April 13th! You can watch introductory remarks from lead author, Rep. David Gottfried, via YouTube here –> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQBafCtXNsE&t=2849s

Thank you Rep. Gottfried for inviting us to testify in person on March 10th at the committee hearing. Click HERE to view our testimony on YouTube.

Thank you Sen. Grant Hauschild (03), Sen. Mary Kunesh (39) Sen. John Marty (40) and Sen. Jeremy Miller(26) for introducing SF 4374 which states, “The commissioner of natural resources must hold a license plate design contest to design a new state park license plate available under Minnesota Statutes, section 168.1295,subdivision 1. The license plate design must celebrate the North Shore and the Lake Superior Agate.”

SF 4374 was passed unanimously by the “Environment, Legacy and Climate Committee” of the Minnesota State Senate on March 24th and was passed in the Senate 48-18 on April 20th. You can read the unofficial meeting minutes HERE.

Senator Kunesh introduced SF 4374 to the “Environment, Legacy and Climate Committee” with additional testimony provided by Lars Leafblad on behalf of “Friends of the Lake Superior Agate Plate”. You can watch a YouTube clip of their committee testimony HERE. Picture below courtesy of Tessa Yeager.

The Lake Superior Agate was officially named Minnesota’s state gemstone in 1969. Learn more here from Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources website -> https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/education/geology/digging/agate.html

Learn more about Minnesota’s rock and mineral hobby community via the Minnesota Mineral Club website here -> https://minnesotamineralclub.org/minnesota-mineral-club-history/

Thank you Senator Jeremy Miller (26) for joining us as a new author of SF4374 and creating formal bipartisan support for our campaign. We’re thrilled!!

Thank you Teri Cadeau and “Duluth News Tribune” for the front page feature about our campaign! Click here for the digital story. Sticker below made by Wayne Binsfeld.

Thank you to the Minnesota Star Tribune for writing about our campaign. Click here to read the article, “Agate license plates would rock, North Share fans say”.

Thank you Minnesota Mineral Club for including our campaign in the April issue of “Rock Rustler’s News”!!

Thank you Vineeta Sawkar for having us on WCCO830 “The Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar” to discuss “An Agate on a License Plate”.

Thank you Tara Erickson and Mary Lahammer for hosting us on your podcast, “The SpinSisters Podcast” to discuss this campaign. YouTube clip HERE.

Thank you Northern News Now (KBJR 6 – CBS 3 in Duluth) for doing a story on our campaign, “Minnesota agate license plate proposal rolls forward with unanimous support”.

Thanks Karen Tolkkinen for sharing about our campaign in the Minnesota Star Tribune, “I see that Minnesota lawmakers are considering a license plate to celebrate agates. Good call! We Minnesotans are clearly passionate about our rocks.”

Learn more about Lake Superior Agate hunting from this Kare11 story last year featuring Taylor from Taylor’s Rocksmithery -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKeIpB1zNZI

Thank you Duluth News Tribune editorial board for your Op-Ed, “Our View: Agate-themed license plates can rock Minnesota”. “A Minnesotan-designed license plate seems an apt tribute to such rich, abundant history and significance. With votes of approval from the Legislature, followed by the governor’s signature, it’s an idea that can rock.”

Thank you Rochelle Olson for giving our campaign a shout out in the Star Tribune, “Cheers to a potential new license plate design”.

Thanks to Mpls. St Paul magazine for covering our campaign! Story –> https://mspmag.com/arts-and-culture/agate-lovers-campaign-state-park-license-place-contest/

Thank you to Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) for covering our campaign!

Thank you to Blois Olson and Fluence Media for including our campaign in “LunchTake”.

Thank you Dan Barreiro and Pat Kessler for covering our campaign on KFAN 100.3 FM’s “Bumper to Bumper” program on April 15th, 2026. Clink this link and fast forward to the 34:40 mark to hear their conversation about “MN Meat Raffles and Rocks” –> https://www.iheart.com/podcast/462-dan-barreiro-26981004/episode/top-5pat-kessler-bumper-to-bumper-41526-hour-three-330418563

Thank you Brian Bakst and MPR News for including our campaign in your “Politics Friday” podcast on Friday, April 17th. Click HERE and then fast forward to 39:22 to hear excerpts from Rep. David Gottfried’s speech on the floor of the MN House to introduce HF 3699.

Thank you Vineeta Sawkar and Mary Lahammer for discussing our campaign on WCCO 830 during “The Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar” on Friday, April 17th! Click HERE and then fast forward to 4:50 to hear them discuss our campaign.

Thank you to Torey Van Oot and Axios for covering our campaign in “Axios Twin Cities”. Read it here -> https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2026/04/22/minnesota-legisalture-agate-license-plate-top-issues

Thank you Duluth News Tribune for your April 27, 2026 editorial, “Our View: Minnesotans can soon rock new license plates”.

Thank you Northern News Now for airing this story on our campaign, “Senate passes bill for new agate license plates in Minnesota”.

Thank you WDIO for covering our campaign here, “Senate approves bill to create North Shore, Lake Superior Agate license plate”!!

Thank you Mary Lahammer for including our campaign in the April 22nd episode of “Almanac at the Capitol” Click here to access the story via Mary’s substack page -> https://marylahammer.substack.com/p/favorite-feel-good-bipartisan-bill

Thank you Tom Hauser and KSTP for including our campaign in the Sunday, April 26th edition of “At Issue”. Fast-forward to 22:40 to hear the “Agate Plate” segment after clicking here -> https://kstp.com/politics/at-issue/at-issue-april-26-walz-meets-with-legislative-leaders-to-discuss-budget-tracking-lawmakers-progress-on-fraud/