In an interesting legislative act, Gov. Mark Sanford signed into law Tuesday a bill proposed by 9-year-old Lauren Cunningham of Lexington. The bill makes indigo blue the official state color. WSPA out of Columbia reports:

"Lauren is a real catalyst for change and she is a real leader, and she has my admiration on that front," the governor said with Lauren standing beside him.

After getting the idea, she wrote to her state senator, Sen. Ronnie Cromer. He sponsored the bill and Lauren was there at every subcommittee, committee and full Senate and House meeting as it worked its way through the process.

She says she picked indigo blue for three reasons: indigo was an important cash crop in South Carolina in the late 1700s and early 1800s; it was the color of the uniforms of South Carolina soldiers in the 1770s during the Revolutionary War; and it's the color of the background of the state flag.

How many people can they got a bill passed by the government (state, federal, or otherwise) at the age of 9?

According to the General Assembly Web site, Bill S. 1033 was signed into law on April 16. Kevin Patton of WSPA sent an e-mail telling us that Robert Kittle, the WSPA reporter who covered the event, said the signing today was most likely a ceremonial one so that Lauren could attend.