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Committee streamlines wildlife conservation specialty plate issuance to boost funding for crossings
Summary
Senate File 149 was approved to allow county treasurers to issue the wildlife conservation specialty license plate directly, an administrative change the agencies said will increase plate sales and donations for wildlife crossings. The House committee heard supportive testimony from YDOT, Game & Fish and conservation groups and voted 9-0.
The House TRW committee approved Senate File 149, a statutory clean‑up and administration change that lets county treasurers issue the wildlife conservation specialty license plate at the counter. Supporters said the change reduces administrative burdens and will encourage more sales and donations to fund wildlife overpasses, underpasses and fencing.
"The language in the bill as drafted was a little bit cumbersome. It required an application to the department, which then gave an eligibility certificate, which then shipped the plate to the county," Taylor Rossetti, deputy director at the Wyoming Department of Transportation, told the committee at 01:01:55. Rossetti said the revised process will allow immediate issuance at county offices, improving customer service and expanding access.
Rossetti provided program figures: the plate has sold about 3,000 sets since it began in 2019; in fiscal year 2025 plate issuance generated $113,550 and the specialty plate donation mechanism has produced roughly $92,191.39 in donations. Game and Fish officials detailed collision statistics and projects funded by the plate revenues: "we know that there's over 8,000 big game vehicle collisions annually in the State of Wyoming," Nish Goiklia said at 01:06:54, and funds are used for overpasses, underpasses and wildlife‑friendly fencing.
Wyoming Wildlife Federation and other supporters told the committee the simpler county issuance will increase the number of plates in circulation and therefore donations for wildlife crossings. The committee adopted the measure on a roll call vote of 9 ayes and adjourned.
