Wyoming 2025 Regular Session

Wyoming House Bill HB0226 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
2		-	BILL NO. HB0226
3		-	ENROLLED ACT NO. 30, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
4		-	SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
5		-	2025 GENERAL SESSION
6		-	1
7		-	AN ACT relating to motor vehicle license plates;
8		-	authorizing specially designed license plates to be issued
9		-	to benefit search and rescue efforts; specifying
10		-	requirements; authorizing fees; making conforming
11		-	amendments; specifying applicability; and providing for an
12		-	effective date.
13		-	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
14		-	Section 1. W.S. 31-2-234 is created to read:
15		-	31-2-234. Search and rescue license plates.
16		-	(a) Any person required to register a vehicle in
17		-	Wyoming pursuant to this article may apply to the
18		-	department or county treasurer for a statement of
19		-	eligibility for search and rescue license plates for any
20		-	motor vehicle that is not a commercial vehicle owned or
21		-	leased by that person upon registration of the vehicle. The
22		-	department or county treasurer may include as part of the
23		-	application the option for the applicant to donate an
24		-	additional amount in support of search and rescue
25		-	activities. Upon payment by the applicant of a fee of one
26		-	hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) to the department or county
27		-	treasurer, plus any additional voluntary amount, the
28		-	department or county treasurer shall issue a written
29		-	statement of eligibility for search and rescue license
30		-	plates. The department or county treasurer shall assess an
31		-	annual fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) for a person to retain
32		-	eligibility for search and rescue license plates, but this
33		-	annual fee shall not be charged in the year the person pays
34		-	the one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) eligibility fee.
35		-	The person may submit an additional voluntary amount in
36		-	support of search and rescue activities when remitting the
37		-	annual fee. ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
38		-	BILL NO. HB0226
39		-	ENROLLED ACT NO. 30, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
40		-	SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
41		-	2025 GENERAL SESSION
	1	+	2025
	2	+	STATE OF WYOMING
	3	+	25LSO-0359
	4	+	ENGROSSED
	5	+	1HB0226
	6	+	HOUSE BILL NO. HB0226
	7	+	License plate-search and rescue council.
	8	+	Sponsored by: Representative(s) Campbell, K, Allemand,
	9	+	Guggenmos, Haroldson, Kelly, Posey, Strock,
	10	+	Tarver, Williams and Winter and Senator(s)
	11	+	Boner
	12	+	A BILL
	13	+	for
	14	+	1 AN ACT relating to motor vehicle license plates;
	15	+	2 authorizing specially designed license plates to be issued
	16	+	3 to benefit search and rescue efforts; specifying
	17	+	4 requirements; authorizing fees; making conforming
	18	+	5 amendments; specifying applicability; and providing for an
	19	+	6 effective date.
	20	+	7
	21	+	8
	22	+	9
	23	+	10. W.S. 31-2-234 is created to read:
	24	+	11
	25	+	12
	26	+	13 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-0359
	27	+	ENGROSSED
	28	+	2HB02261 (a) Any person required to register a vehicle in
	29	+	2 Wyoming pursuant to this article may apply to the
	30	+	3 department for a statement of eligibility for search and
	31	+	4 rescue license plates for any motor vehicle that is not a
	32	+	5 commercial vehicle or multipurpose vehicle owned or leased
	33	+	6 by that person upon registration of the vehicle. The
	34	+	7 department may include as part of the application the
	35	+	8 option for the applicant to donate an additional amount in
	36	+	9 support of search and rescue activities. Upon payment by
	37	+	10 the applicant of a fee of one hundred fifty dollars
	38	+	11 ($150.00) to the department, plus any additional voluntary
	39	+	12 amount, the department shall issue a written statement of
	40	+	13 eligibility for search and rescue license plates. The
	41	+	14 department shall assess an annual fee of fifty dollars
	42	+	15 ($50.00) for a person to retain eligibility for search and
	43	+	16 rescue license plates, but this annual fee shall not be
	44	+	17 charged in the year the person pays the one hundred fifty
	45	+	18 dollars ($150.00) eligibility fee. The person may submit an
	46	+	19 additional voluntary amount in support of search and rescue
	47	+	20 activities when remitting the annual fee.
	48	+	21
	49	+	22 (b) The fees collected under subsection (a) of this
	50	+	23 section shall be payable to the department and shall be 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-0359
	51	+	ENGROSSED
	52	+	3HB0226
	53	+	1 accounted for separately. Except as otherwise provided by
	54	+	2 law, the fees collected under subsection (a) of this
	55	+	3 section shall be distributed to the search and rescue
	56	+	4 account within the office of homeland security as created
	57	+	5 in W.S. 19-13-301. Funds distributed to the search and
	58	+	6 rescue account under this section shall be administered in
	59	+	7 accordance with the following:
	60	+	8
	61	+	9 (i) The funds deposited in the search and rescue
	62	+	10 account under this section are continuously appropriated to
	63	+	11 the office of homeland security and shall only be used for
	64	+	12 the purposes provided in W.S. 19-13-301(b) and
	65	+	13 19-13-301(c);
	66	+	14
	67	+	15 (ii) The office of homeland security may
	68	+	16 establish methods to accept voluntary contributions in
	69	+	17 support of search and rescue activities for deposit into
	70	+	18 the search and rescue account. The office of homeland
	71	+	19 security may suggest and solicit specific contribution
	72	+	20 amounts;
	73	+	21
	74	+	22 (iii) The department, in consultation with the
	75	+	23 Wyoming office of homeland security, is authorized to 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-0359
	76	+	ENGROSSED
	77	+	4HB0226
	78	+	1 receive and credit to the search and rescue account, any
	79	+	2 money or property of any kind or character donated, granted
	80	+	3 or bequeathed to Wyoming search and rescue activities. The
	81	+	4 office of homeland security shall have the authority to
	82	+	5 carry out the terms, if any, of the grant, donation or
	83	+	6 bequest, or in the absence of any terms or limitations, to
	84	+	7 expend the money or the proceeds of the property as it may
	85	+	8 deem advisable for search and rescue activities under the
	86	+	9 provisions of this section and W.S. 19-13-301.
	87	+	10
	88	+	11 (c) Applicants shall apply at least thirty (30) days
	89	+	12 before registration is required for the vehicle for which
	90	+	13 the plates are intended. Except as provided in this
	91	+	14 section, application for, issuance and renewal of the
	92	+	15 search and rescue license plates under this section shall
	93	+	16 be subject to the same requirements and fees as provided in
	94	+	17 this article in addition to the fee collected under
	95	+	18 subsection (a) of this section. The license plate fees
	96	+	19 required under W.S. 31-3-102(a)(viii) shall accompany each
	97	+	20 application. The license plates under this section shall be
	98	+	21 issued by the county treasurer of each county and shall be
	99	+	22 displayed only upon the vehicle for which they are issued.
	100	+	23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-0359
	101	+	ENGROSSED
	102	+	5HB02261 (d) The department shall prescribe the design of the
	103	+	2 search and rescue license plates authorized by this section
	104	+	3 in consultation with the public and other interested
	105	+	4 parties, which shall include an image of the bucking horse
	106	+	5 and rider described in W.S. 8-3-117. License plates
	107	+	6 authorized by this section need not include Arabic numerals
	108	+	7 designating the county. The department shall arrange for
	109	+	8 production of the license plates. Following initial
	110	+	9 approval, search and rescue license plates shall be subject
	111	+	10 to redesign on the same schedule as all license plates
	112	+	11 beginning with the year 2033 reissuance.
	113	+	12
	114	+	13 (e) The department may prepare any special forms and
	115	+	14 promulgate any rules necessary to carry out this section.
	116	+	15
	117	+	16 (f) Unless one thousand (1,000) sets of license
	118	+	17 plates are issued under this section before December 31,
	119	+	18 2032, the plates authorized under this section shall be
	120	+	19 eliminated from production and the department shall report
	121	+	20 the cessation of production to the legislature not later
	122	+	21 than January 15, 2033.
	123	+	22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-0359
	124	+	ENGROSSED
	125	+	6HB02261. W.S. 19-13-301(a) and by creating a new
	126	+	2 subsection (d), 31-2-212, 31-2-225(a) by creating a new
	127	+	3 paragraph (vii) and 31-3-101 by creating a new subsection
	128	+	4 (k) are amended to read:
	129	+	5
	130	+	6
	131	+	7
	132	+	8
	133	+	9 (a) The search and rescue account is created. Fees
	134	+	10 identified in W.S. 23-2-101, 23-2-201, 31-2-404,
	135	+	11 31-2-409, 31-2-703, 41-13-109 and 41-13-110 shall be
	136	+	12 deposited in the state treasury to the credit of this
	137	+	13 account.
	138	+	14
	139	+	15
	140	+	16
	141	+	17
	142	+	18
	143	+	19
	144	+	20
	145	+	21
	146	+	22
	147	+	23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-0359
	148	+	ENGROSSED
	149	+	7HB02261
42	150		2
43		-	(b) The fees collected under subsection (a) of this
44		-	section shall be payable to the department or county
45		-	treasurer and shall be accounted for separately. Except as
46		-	otherwise provided by law, the fees collected under
47		-	subsection (a) of this section shall be distributed to the
48		-	search and rescue account within the office of homeland
49		-	security as created in W.S. 19-13-301. Funds distributed to
50		-	the search and rescue account under this section shall be
51		-	administered in accordance with the following:
52		-	(i) The funds deposited in the search and rescue
53		-	account under this section are continuously appropriated to
54		-	the office of homeland security and shall only be used for
55		-	the purposes provided in W.S. 19-13-301(b) and
56		-	19-13-301(c);
57		-	(ii) The office of homeland security may
58		-	establish methods to accept voluntary contributions in
59		-	support of search and rescue activities for deposit into
60		-	the search and rescue account. The office of homeland
61		-	security may suggest and solicit specific contribution
62		-	amounts;
63		-	(iii) The department, in consultation with the
64		-	Wyoming office of homeland security, is authorized to
65		-	receive and credit to the search and rescue account, any
66		-	money or property of any kind or character donated, granted
67		-	or bequeathed to Wyoming search and rescue activities. The
68		-	office of homeland security shall have the authority to
69		-	carry out the terms, if any, of the grant, donation or
70		-	bequest, or in the absence of any terms or limitations, to
71		-	expend the money or the proceeds of the property as it may
72		-	deem advisable for search and rescue activities under the
73		-	provisions of this section and W.S. 19-13-301. ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
74		-	BILL NO. HB0226
75		-	ENROLLED ACT NO. 30, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
76		-	SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
77		-	2025 GENERAL SESSION
78	151		3
79		-	(c) Applicants shall apply at least thirty (30) days
80		-	before registration is required for the vehicle for which
81		-	the plates are intended. Except as provided in this
82		-	section, application for, issuance and renewal of the
83		-	search and rescue license plates under this section shall
84		-	be subject to the same requirements and fees as provided in
85		-	this article in addition to the fee collected under
86		-	subsection (a) of this section. The license plate fees
87		-	required under W.S. 31-3-102(a)(viii) shall accompany each
88		-	application. The license plates under this section shall be
89		-	issued by the county treasurer of each county and shall be
90		-	displayed only upon the vehicle for which they are issued.
91		-	(d) The department shall prescribe the design of the
92		-	search and rescue license plates authorized by this section
93		-	in consultation with the public and other interested
94		-	parties, which shall include an image of the bucking horse
95		-	and rider described in W.S. 8-3-117. License plates
96		-	authorized by this section need not include Arabic numerals
97		-	designating the county. The department shall arrange for
98		-	production of the license plates. Following initial
99		-	approval, search and rescue license plates shall be subject
100		-	to redesign on the same schedule as all license plates
101		-	beginning with the year 2033 reissuance.
102		-	(e) The department may prepare any special forms and
103		-	promulgate any rules necessary to carry out this section.
104		-	(f) Unless one thousand (1,000) sets of license
105		-	plates are issued under this section before December 31,
106		-	2032, the plates authorized under this section shall be
107		-	eliminated from production and the department shall report
108		-	the cessation of production to the legislature not later
109		-	than January 15, 2033. ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
110		-	BILL NO. HB0226
111		-	ENROLLED ACT NO. 30, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
112		-	SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
113		-	2025 GENERAL SESSION
	152	+	4 Upon loss, mutilation or destruction of a certificate of
	153	+	5 registration, license plate, or validation sticker the
	154	+	6 owner of a vehicle may obtain a duplicate certificate of
	155	+	7 registration, new license plates or validation stickers
	156	+	8 from any county treasurer or the department if the vehicle
	157	+	9 was registered or plates or stickers were issued by the
	158	+	10 department upon application showing the loss, mutilation or
	159	+	11 destruction, return of mutilated plates or stickers and
	160	+	12 payment of the duplicate registration, plate or sticker
	161	+	13 fee. For those vehicles registered under the provisions of
	162	+	14 W.S. 31-2-213(h), 31-2-215 through 31-2-223, 31-2-226,
	163	+	15 31-2-227 or 31-2-229 through replacement
	164	+	16 duplicate license plates may be obtained upon application
	165	+	17 with the county treasurer from which the original plates
	166	+	18 were purchased or the department if applicable, accompanied
	167	+	19 by fees as provided by W.S. 31-3-102(a)(vi)(C). Duplicate
	168	+	20 license plates obtained under this section to replace lost
	169	+	21 or stolen plates shall not be displayed on the vehicle
	170	+	22 until the validation stickers on the lost or stolen plates
	171	+	23 have expired. Upon loss, mutilation or destruction of a 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-0359
	172	+	ENGROSSED
	173	+	8HB0226
	174	+	1 dealer plate or validation sticker the dealer may obtain a
	175	+	2 replacement dealer plate or validation sticker from the
	176	+	3 county treasurer from which he purchased the original plate
	177	+	4 in the same manner as the owner of a vehicle and upon
	178	+	5 payment of the appropriate fee under W.S. 31-3-102(a)(vi).
	179	+	6 Obtaining a replacement plate is not the purchase of an
	180	+	7 additional plate under W.S. 31-16-125(b)(i). Upon
	181	+	8 application for new license plates or stickers the county
	182	+	9 treasurer shall notify the department and the county
	183	+	10 sheriff as soon as possible of the loss, mutilation or
	184	+	11 destruction. The department shall notify the appropriate
	185	+	12 law enforcement agencies of any loss, mutilation or
	186	+	13 destruction of license plates or stickers.
	187	+	14
	188	+	15
	189	+	16
	190	+	17
	191	+	18 (a) Applications for registration of vehicles shall
	192	+	19 be filed in the office of the county treasurer in person,
	193	+	20 by regular mail, or if available, electronically, in the
	194	+	21 county in which the owner of the vehicle resides or in any
	195	+	22 county in any other case and contain:
	196	+	23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-0359
	197	+	ENGROSSED
	198	+	9HB02261
	199	+	2
	200	+	3
114	201		4
115		-	Section 2. W.S. 19-13-301(a) and by creating a new
116		-	subsection (d), 31-2-212, 31-2-225(a) by creating a new
117		-	paragraph (vii) and 31-3-101 by creating a new subsection
118		-	(k) are amended to read:
119		-	19-13-301. Search and rescue account; created;
120		-	expenditures.
121		-	(a) The search and rescue account is created. Fees
122		-	identified in W.S. 23-2-101, 23-2-201, 31-2-404,
123		-	31-2-409, 31-2-703, 41-13-109 and 41-13-110 shall be
124		-	deposited in the state treasury to the credit of this
125		-	account.
126		-	(d) The state treasurer is hereby authorized and
127		-	directed to receive and credit to the search and rescue
128		-	account any grant, donation or bequest that is made to the
129		-	search and rescue account for the purposes provided by W.S.
130		-	31-2-234. The state treasurer shall invest any money
131		-	received under this subsection in accordance with law and
132		-	the investment earnings received thereon shall be deposited
133		-	into the search and rescue account.
134		-	31-2-212. Loss, mutilation or destruction of
135		-	registration, plates or validation stickers.
136		-	Upon loss, mutilation or destruction of a certificate of
137		-	registration, license plate, or validation sticker the
138		-	owner of a vehicle may obtain a duplicate certificate of
139		-	registration, new license plates or validation stickers
140		-	from any county treasurer or the department if the vehicle
141		-	was registered or plates or stickers were issued by the
142		-	department upon application showing the loss, mutilation or
143		-	destruction, return of mutilated plates or stickers and ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
144		-	BILL NO. HB0226
145		-	ENROLLED ACT NO. 30, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
146		-	SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
147		-	2025 GENERAL SESSION
148	202		5
149		-	payment of the duplicate registration, plate or sticker
150		-	fee. For those vehicles registered under the provisions of
151		-	W.S. 31-2-213(h), 31-2-215 through 31-2-223, 31-2-226,
152		-	31-2-227 or 31-2-229 through replacement
153		-	duplicate license plates may be obtained upon application
154		-	with the county treasurer from which the original plates
155		-	were purchased or the department if applicable, accompanied
156		-	by fees as provided by W.S. 31-3-102(a)(vi)(C). Duplicate
157		-	license plates obtained under this section to replace lost
158		-	or stolen plates shall not be displayed on the vehicle
159		-	until the validation stickers on the lost or stolen plates
160		-	have expired. Upon loss, mutilation or destruction of a
161		-	dealer plate or validation sticker the dealer may obtain a
162		-	replacement dealer plate or validation sticker from the
163		-	county treasurer from which he purchased the original plate
164		-	in the same manner as the owner of a vehicle and upon
165		-	payment of the appropriate fee under W.S. 31-3-102(a)(vi).
166		-	Obtaining a replacement plate is not the purchase of an
167		-	additional plate under W.S. 31-16-125(b)(i). Upon
168		-	application for new license plates or stickers the county
169		-	treasurer shall notify the department and the county
170		-	sheriff as soon as possible of the loss, mutilation or
171		-	destruction. The department shall notify the appropriate
172		-	law enforcement agencies of any loss, mutilation or
173		-	destruction of license plates or stickers.
174		-	31-2-225. Application requirements; contents; weight
175		-	certificate; title requirement; liability.
176		-	(a) Applications for registration of vehicles shall
177		-	be filed in the office of the county treasurer in person,
178		-	by regular mail, or if available, electronically, in the
179		-	county in which the owner of the vehicle resides or in any
180		-	county in any other case and contain: ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
181		-	BILL NO. HB0226
182		-	ENROLLED ACT NO. 30, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
183		-	SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
184		-	2025 GENERAL SESSION
185		-	6(vii) The option for the owner to donate an
186		-	additional amount to support search and rescue operations
187		-	under W.S. 31-2-234.
188		-	31-3-101. Registration fees; exemptions.
189		-	(k) Any owner of a vehicle who wishes to donate money
190		-	to provide for search and rescue efforts under W.S.
191		-	31-2-234 shall be provided space on the registration form
192		-	to do so pursuant to W.S. 31-2-225(a)(vii). Revenues
193		-	collected under this subsection shall be forwarded by the
194		-	county treasurer to the state treasurer to be deposited
195		-	into the search and rescue account created by W.S.
196		-	19-13-301.
197		-	Section 3. The department of transportation shall
198		-	make search and rescue account license plates available
199		-	beginning on January 1, 2026. ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
200		-	BILL NO. HB0226
201		-	ENROLLED ACT NO. 30, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
202		-	SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
203		-	2025 GENERAL SESSION
204		-	7Section 4. This act is effective July 1, 2025.
205		-	(END)
206		-	Speaker of the HousePresident of the SenateGovernorTIME APPROVED: _________DATE APPROVED: _________
207		-	I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.
208		-	Chief Clerk
	203	+	6
	204	+	7
	205	+	8
	206	+	9
	207	+	10
	208	+	11
	209	+	12
	210	+	13
	211	+	14
	212	+	15
	213	+	16The department of transportation shall
	214	+	17 make search and rescue account license plates available
	215	+	18 beginning on January 1, 2026.
	216	+	19
	217	+	20This act is effective July 1, 2025
	218	+	21
	219	+	22 (END)