Pennsylvania House Bill HB1736

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 7/16/25
• Refer: 7/16/25

Caption

In registration of vehicles, further providing for wild resource conservation plate.

Summary

HB1736 amends Pennsylvania’s vehicle registration law to update the state’s wild resource conservation license plate program. The bill keeps the existing special plate option and authorizes the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Wild Resource Conservation Board, to issue the plate upon application and payment of the required fee. It also specifies a new plate design featuring a saw-whet owl perched on a pine branch over a yellow-white background with the slogan “Conserve Wild Resources.” The bill also allows motorists to use a previously issued, now-discontinued version of the plate if the design matches the new description, is not part of the standard plate family, and the plate number is available. The measure takes effect four months after enactment.

Impact

HB1736 would amend Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes by revising Section 1352 governing the wild resource conservation plate. It preserves the $35 special plate fee and the $15 transfer to the Wild Resource Conservation Fund, while expanding plate availability through a new design and by permitting certain discontinued plates to remain in use. The bill affects vehicle owners who want specialty plates, PennDOT’s plate-design and issuance process, and the Wild Resource Conservation Fund that receives revenue from the surcharge.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript, recorded vote, or formal opposition, so there is no documented debate or partisan split to assess. Based on the bill text, the measure appears straightforward and noncontroversial, focused on a specialty plate redesign and continued fundraising for conservation purposes. The absence of votes or discussion suggests the bill had not yet generated visible public or legislative contention in the materials provided.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential issues, if raised later, would likely concern the specialty plate design, administrative implementation by PennDOT, or the use of vehicle registration fees to support the Wild Resource Conservation Fund. However, the record provided does not identify any member, committee, or stakeholder objecting to the bill.