Should the Hershey's Kiss be Pennsylvania's official candy? It's now up state lawmakers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Lawmakers in Pennsylvania have advanced a bill to make the Hershey's Kiss the state's official candy.
In a vote on Tuesday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill 1030 by a vote of 130-71.
State Rep. Tom Mehaffie is the primary sponsor of the bill, which says that Hershey's Kisses are "one of the most iconic chocolate products ever created by Hershey's and one of the most recognized and beloved chocolate products around the world." The bill now moves to the Pennsylvania Senate.
Each day, according to the bill, more than 70,000,000 Hershey Kisses are produced in Hershey. The chocolate treat was debuted in 1907 by the Hershey Chocolate Company in Dauphin County and has been synonymous with Pennsylvania ever since.
According to Hershey's website, no one knows how the delicious candy got its name, though there are multiple theories, including one that "the machines that extrude the KISSES Chocolates make a sound like a kiss."
Hershey has approximately 21,000 employees worldwide, according to its website.
The effort to make the Hershey's Kiss the state's official candy started in 2021 as part of a social studies project for students at Newtown Middle School in Bucks County.
