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Bill

HB 1157

Red Wolf Special Registration Plate.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Eric Ager and 16 co-sponsors

Creates a Red Wolf special plate with a $30 annual fee; funds support red wolf conservation and NC State outreach/promotions.

Passed 1st Reading
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Bill Summary · HB 1157

Summary of HB 1157 (2025 Session) — Red Wolf Special Registration Plate (North Carolina)

Purpose and Intent

  • Authorizes the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue a new special registration plate titled the “Red Wolf.”
  • Establishes a dedicated funding pathway to support red wolf conservation, management, research, monitoring, and habitat preservation/restoration in North Carolina.
  • Creates a collaborative promotion framework with North Carolina State University (NC State) to raise awareness and support for the plate.

Key Provisions

Section 1 – Establishment and Design Process

  • Adds Red Wolf as an authorized special registration plate under the DMV framework.
  • Plate design must include the phrase “Red Wolf” and an image of a red wolf.
  • The plate is exempt from certain standard special-plate expiration and application requirements (consistent with other non-standard plates).

Section 2 – Vehicle Registration Eligibility

  • The Red Wolf plate is issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with existing registration procedures.
  • The plate qualifies as a distinct plate design, not bound by the “First in Flight,” “First in Freedom,” or “National/State Mottos” plates designations (consistent with other special plates).

Section 3 – Fees and Distribution

  • Adds a $30 annual additional fee for the Red Wolf plate (on top of standard registration fees).
  • Establishes how additional fees for special plates are distributed:
    • Portions allocated to the Special Registration Plate Account (SRPA), the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account (CCAPA), the North Carolina Land and Water Fund (NCLWF), and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PRTF) as set forth in the statute.
    • For the Red Wolf plate, the fee distribution currently shown is $10 to SRPA and $20 to CCAPA (subject to potential reallocation per future adjustments). The exact allocation table references other plates as context, but the Red Wolf line specifies these two allocations.
  • Also clarifies handling and placement of the Special Registration Plate funds within the Highway Fund’s accounts.

Section 4 – Transfer to Wildlife Resources Commission

  • Requires quarterly transfers from the CCAPA (derived from Red Wolf plate sales) to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for red wolf conservation-related activities (conservation, management, research, monitoring, habitat work).

Section 5 – Revisor’s Cleanup

  • Authorizes alphabetizing and renumbering of registered special-plate listings for clarity and consistency.

Section 6 – NC State University Promotion

  • Mandates NC State University (College of Veterinary Medicine) to actively promote the Red Wolf plate on campus and through university communications.
  • Minimum promotional duties include:
    • Updating an appropriate university webpage with plate information.
    • Promoting to students, alumni, faculty, staff, and athletics communications.
    • Coordinating messaging with DMV and NC Wildlife Resources Commission.
    • Marketing the plate at campus events and through university-controlled outreach channels.

Section 7 – Reporting Requirement

  • By September 1, 2027, NC State University must report to specified legislative committees and the Fiscal Research Division on:
    • The effectiveness of promotional efforts.
    • The number of Red Wolf plates issued.

Section 8 – Appropriations for Initial Setup

  • Appropriates $15,000 (nonrecurring) from the Highway Fund to the DMV for 2026–2027 to cover design, programming, setup, and initial implementation costs.

Section 9 – University Promotion Funding

  • Appropriates $50,000 (nonrecurring) from the General Fund to UNC System (Board of Governors) to NC State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine for initial plate promotion and public awareness in 2026–2027.

Section 10 – Effective Dates

  • Sections 8 and 9 (initial funding provisions) become effective July 1, 2026.
  • All other provisions become effective upon the bill becoming law.

Affected Parties and Impacts

  • Motor Vehicle Owners in NC: Eligible to obtain the Red Wolf special registration plate by paying the standard registration fee plus a $30 annual premium.
  • North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC): Receives quarterly transfers from CCAPA-derived funds to support red wolf conservation activities.
  • NC State University (College of Veterinary Medicine): Responsible for promoting the plate and reporting on promotion effectiveness; will receive support for promotion activities.
  • Department of Transportation (DMV): Implements the plate, manages funds, and supports initial design/operational costs.
  • General Fund and Highway Fund: Source of new and allocated funding for initial costs and university-supported promotion efforts.

Timeline and Reporting

  • Initial funding for design/setup and university promotion is for the 2026–2027 fiscal year (effective July 1, 2026).
  • NC State University must report progress and plate issuance numbers by September 1, 2027.
  • Ongoing annual plate issuance and fund distributions occur under the normal special-plate framework with the Red Wolf added as a dedicated recipient of a portion of fees.

Notes

  • The bill emphasizes conservation outcomes for the rare red wolf, a species native to NC and the southeastern U.S.
  • It pairs funding with university outreach to maximize awareness and plate adoption as a stable funding mechanism for conservation efforts.
  • The text includes standard housekeeping provisions for alphabetizing/renumbering plate listings and aligning with existing statutes governing special plates.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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