HB1306 creates a new Colorado special license plate for supporters of wild horse preservation. Beginning on the earlier of January 1, 2027, or when the Department of Revenue can issue the plate, qualified applicants may obtain a Wild Horse license plate for motorcycles, passenger vehicles, trucks, and certain noncommercial/recreational vehicles. The plate is tied to a required donation to the Wild Horse Fund: $100 for initial issuance before July 1, 2028, then $50 thereafter, with a $50 annual renewal donation. The bill also allows personalized Wild Horse plates, subject to the usual personalized-plate rules and fees.
The bill establishes a Wild Horse license plate account within the Wild Horse Fund and directs donations and related interest into that account. It also sets out how money is to be transferred among the Wild Horse Fund, the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account, the Highway Users Tax Fund, and the license plate cash fund, with several provisions repealed on July 1, 2028. The bill amends definitions of “gift” and special-plate fee statutes to accommodate the new plate and exempts the Wild Horse plate from the standard license plate cash fund fee until July 1, 2028, after which the regular special-plate issuance fee applies. It also includes a one-time appropriation of $143,412 to the Department of Revenue to implement the program.
The overall sentiment appears generally supportive, with the bill advancing through committee and passing the House on third reading by a substantial margin. It cleared House Appropriations unanimously on the recorded amendment votes and moved forward 9-2 out of committee, then passed the House 48-11. That voting pattern suggests broad acceptance of the concept, though not complete unanimity.
The main point of contention appears to be the fiscal and administrative structure rather than the idea of the plate itself. The bill uses a donation-based funding model, creates temporary fee exemptions and transfers, and includes a delayed transition in 2028 to the standard special-plate fee structure. Those provisions likely reflect concern about how the plate will be funded and how revenues will be distributed among state accounts, especially because the bill also makes an appropriation and contains multiple repeal dates and accounting changes.
In practical terms, the bill affects Colorado motor vehicle registration law, special license plate statutes, and the Wild Horse Fund administered for wild horse population management. It creates a new revenue stream for wild horse-related programs and requires the Department of Revenue, the State Treasurer, and the Department of Agriculture to coordinate on plate design, collections, and transfers.
HB1306 amends Colorado statutes governing special license plates, the Wild Horse Fund, and related state fee and accounting provisions. It creates a new Wild Horse special license plate, establishes a dedicated account for donations associated with the plate, and directs how those funds are credited and transferred. The bill also temporarily exempts the plate from certain standard plate fees and then phases in the regular special-plate surcharge beginning July 1, 2028, while repealing several temporary provisions on that date. In addition, it appropriates state funds to the Department of Revenue for implementation and administration.
The bill appears to have received generally favorable treatment in the legislature. It advanced through House Finance, was amended and approved unanimously in House Appropriations on the amendment votes, and passed the House on third reading by a wide margin of 48-11. The recorded votes suggest broad support for the policy goal of supporting wild horse preservation, with some members likely reserving judgment or objecting to the fiscal mechanics rather than the plate itself.
The most notable disagreements seem to center on the bill’s funding structure, fee treatment, and temporary accounting transfers. The bill requires a donation to obtain or renew the plate, exempts the plate from certain standard fees until 2028, and then shifts to the normal special-plate surcharge afterward. It also moves money among several state funds and includes repeal dates and transitional transfers, which can raise concerns about administrative complexity, revenue impacts, and whether the program is self-supporting. The available vote pattern shows some opposition in committee and on the House floor, but no transcript evidence identifies a specific policy objection beyond these fiscal and implementation issues.