Some Maryland residents aren't thrilled about the recent proposal of soft-shell crab, instead of crab cakes, as the official state sandwich. But Sen. Richard F. Colburn, the Eastern Shore Republican who introduced the bill, defends the decision: "The meat in some 'Maryland crab cake sandwiches' comes from as far away as Thailand," he says. Soft-shell crab, meanwhile, has a short shelf life, so it's more likely to be sourced locally. If it passes, the bill won't go into effect until Oct. 1, about a month after soft-shell crab season ends. "As much as I may like to, I can't justify this as an emergency bill," Colburn says.