HB1103 creates a new Colorado special license plate honoring fallen firefighters. Beginning January 1, 2026, or when the Department of Revenue is able to issue the plate, qualified applicants may obtain the plate for motorcycles, passenger cars, trucks, and certain recreational vehicles. To qualify, an applicant must pay the normal registration and plate fees, plus the special plate surcharge, and provide a certificate showing a donation to a department-selected nonprofit organization that supports families of firefighters killed in the line of duty.
The bill also sets criteria for the nonprofit organization that may certify applicants. The organization must be a Colorado-based tax-exempt nonprofit that has existed for at least 15 years and provides counseling, support, legal aid, education assistance, job training, and scholarships to children of fallen firefighters. The Department of Revenue must designate one or more qualifying organizations at least every five years, and the organization must file an annual statement verifying its nonprofit status. The bill allows personalized versions of the plate and permits transfer of personalized plate combinations under existing rules.
In addition to standard vehicle registration costs, the bill imposes two one-time $25 fees associated with special plate issuance and replacement. One fee is credited to the Highway Users Tax Fund, and the other is credited to the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account. The bill amends the state’s special license plate surcharge statute to include the new plate category, thereby integrating the plate into Colorado’s existing special-plate fee structure.
The overall sentiment reflected in the available voting history is favorable. The House Finance Committee approved an amendment unanimously and then advanced the bill with strong support, with only one dissenting vote. No committee transcript is available, but the vote pattern suggests broad agreement with the memorializing purpose of the plate and the associated donation-based eligibility framework.
The main point of potential contention is the requirement that applicants make a donation to a designated nonprofit in order to qualify, which ties access to the plate to charitable contribution. Another possible issue is the administrative role given to the Department of Revenue in selecting and periodically re-designating qualifying organizations, as well as the added fees for issuance, replacement, and personalization. However, the recorded vote history does not show significant opposition to these features.
HB1103 would add a new section to Colorado law authorizing the Department of Revenue to issue a fallen firefighter special license plate and would amend the state’s special license plate surcharge statute to include that plate. It affects vehicle registration law, special plate administration, and state revenue accounts by directing fee collections to the Highway Users Tax Fund and the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account. It also establishes eligibility standards for nonprofit certifying organizations and a donation-based application process for plate applicants.
The available legislative record shows generally positive sentiment toward the bill. In House Finance, an amendment passed unanimously and the bill itself advanced with a strong majority, with only one no vote. That pattern suggests the measure was viewed as a broadly acceptable tribute to fallen firefighters and their families, with little recorded opposition.
The most notable points of contention are structural rather than ideological: the bill requires applicants to make a donation to a designated nonprofit before receiving the plate, and it gives the Department of Revenue authority to choose and periodically reselect the qualifying organization. Some may also question the added fees and whether the nonprofit eligibility criteria are too restrictive. The recorded votes, however, indicate that these issues did not generate substantial opposition in committee.