HB 1306: Wild Horse License Plate - Colorado

Final Act → Signed Act · 4 edits · May 29, 2026

MODERATE

This bill amends Colorado statutes to create a special license plate for vehicles supporting wild horse preservation. It establishes a new 'Wild Horse License Plate Account' within the existing Wild Horse Fund to manage donations collected from plate sales and renewals. The legislation also updates definitions to clarify that donations to the Wild Horse Fund count as gifts and sets specific transfer amounts from the fund to other state accounts upon plate sales.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the Wild Horse Fund by creating a dedicated account for license plate revenue and modifies the fund's structure to include a sunset provision for certain subsections effective July 1, 2028.

FISCAL

Created a new 'Wild Horse License Plate Account' within the Wild Horse Fund to receive donations from special license plate sales and renewals.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'Gift' to explicitly include donations made to the Wild Horse Fund.

REQUIREMENT

Established specific transfer requirements where $25 from the Wild Horse Fund goes to the Vehicle Services Account and $25 goes to the Highway Users Tax Fund for every special plate sold.

TIMELINE

Added a sunset provision repealing certain fund subsections effective July 1, 2028, and adjusted donation amounts for plates renewed after that date.

Rerevised → Final Act · 6 edits · May 18, 2026

MODERATE

This bill establishes a special license plate for vehicles supporting wild horse preservation. It creates a new account within the Wild Horse Fund to collect donations and fees, ensuring these funds remain dedicated to the wild horse project and cannot be transferred to general highway funds. The bill also sets specific donation amounts that change over time and outlines a schedule for transferring money between funds to balance the Wild Horse Fund with other state accounts.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope by creating a new, restricted account specifically for Wild Horse License Plate funds, whereas previous versions allowed unrestricted transfers of these funds to general highway accounts.

FISCAL

Created a new 'Wild Horse License Plate Account' within the Wild Horse Fund to segregate and protect donation revenues.

Added restrictions preventing the State Treasurer from transferring money from the new account to general highway funds, ensuring funds stay with the wild horse project.

Added a specific transfer instruction on December 30, 2026, to move $24,200 from the Wild Horse Fund to the License Plate Cash Fund.

TIMELINE

Changed the donation amount from $100 to $50 starting July 1, 2028, and set a repeal date of July 1, 2028, for the initial transfer schedule.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for an initial one-time fee of $25 for issuing or replacing the special license plate, effective July 1, 2028.

DEFINITION

Added a definition for 'Gift' to clarify that donations to the Wild Horse Fund are voluntary contributions not subject to appropriation limits.

Revised → Rerevised · 3 edits · May 12, 2026

MINOR

The bill was re-revised to include additional Senate sponsors (Coleman and Wallace) and updated the reading status to reflect unamended passage on May 12, 2026. Substantively, the text removes provisions repealing specific subsections related to wild horse license plates and the annual $50 donation requirement, effectively restoring or clarifying the existing rules for renewing these plates and funding the Wild Horse Fund.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding wild horse management funding remains unchanged, as the removed text was a repeal provision that is no longer included in this version.

REQUIREMENT

Removed a provision that would have repealed specific subsections regarding wild horse license plate renewals and the mandatory $50 annual donation to the Wild Horse Fund.

TECHNICAL

Added Senate sponsors Coleman and Wallace to the list of bill sponsors.

Updated the document header to reflect 'REREVISED' status and a specific Senate reading date of May 12, 2026.

Reengrossed → Revised · 5 edits · May 11, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was revised to clarify that state money in the Wild Horse Fund is subject to specific transfers described in another statute, effective July 1, 2028. Additionally, a new account called the 'Wild Horse License Plate Account' was created within the fund to manage donations separately from the main fund, with restrictions on how that money can be spent. The text also reorganized the statute to add new subsections regarding the fund's administration and repealed previous provisions that would have allowed the transfer of these specific funds to other state accounts.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding fund management was expanded by creating a distinct license plate account and clarifying restrictions on fund transfers.

FISCAL

Added a provision stating that state money in the Wild Horse Fund is subject to transfers described in Section 42-3-272(4)(b)(II), with a repeal of this subsection effective July 1, 2028.

Added a requirement for the State Treasurer to credit all interest and income earned from the License Plate Account back into the main Wild Horse Fund.

DEFINITION

Created a new 'Wild Horse License Plate Account' within the Wild Horse Fund to credit donations made under the special plate program.

REQUIREMENT

Restricted the use of money in the new License Plate Account, prohibiting transfers to the Colorado Drives Vehicle Services Account, Highway Users Tax Fund, or License Plate Cash Fund.

TECHNICAL

Reorganized the statute structure by adding new subsections and repealing older ones to align with the new account structure and transfer rules.

Engrossed → Reengrossed · 3 edits · Apr 28, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to include additional sponsors and updated the bill summary to reflect that it has passed the third reading unamended. The most significant substantive change is the removal of a specific funding provision that previously required the State Treasurer to transfer $25 from the Wild Horse Fund to the Colorado Drive Vehicle Services Account upon receiving certain notifications.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding vehicle services funding was narrowed by removing a mandatory transfer of funds from the Wild Horse Fund.

FISCAL

Deleted a requirement for the State Treasurer to transfer $25 from the Wild Horse Fund to the Colorado Drive Vehicle Services Account.

TECHNICAL

Added new legislative sponsors (Brown, Carter, Lieder) to the House sponsorship list.

TIMELINE

Updated the bill summary to indicate the bill has passed the third reading unamended as of April 28, 2026.

Introduced → Engrossed · 4 edits · Apr 27, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add an Appropriation clause and extend the initial donation requirement for the new Wild Horse license plate. The initial donation to the Wild Horse Fund was increased from $50 to $100, effective June 30, 2028, before reverting to $50 annually thereafter. Additionally, the Senate added a new subsection requiring the State Treasurer to transfer $25 from the Wild Horse Fund to the Colorado Drives Vehicle Services Account upon notification of plate sales.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include an appropriation for the new fund and to establish a specific financial transfer mechanism to the Vehicle Services Account.

FISCAL

Added a new appropriation clause to the bill title and text to authorize the use of funds raised by the license plate.

Added a requirement for the State Treasurer to transfer $25 from the Wild Horse Fund to the Colorado Drives Vehicle Services Account for every plate sold.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the initial donation requirement for the Wild Horse license plate from $50 to $100, effective June 30, 2028, before reverting to $50 annually.

TIMELINE

Established a specific date (June 30, 2028) as the threshold for changing the initial donation amount from $100 back to $50.

Wild Horse License Plate

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