H 1157

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
  SESSION 2025
 H  1
  HOUSE BILL 1157
 Short Title:   Red Wolf Special Registration Plate.  (Public)
 Sponsors:      Representatives Ball, Ross, and Alston (Primary Sponsors).
  For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
 Referred to:   Appropriations, if favorable, Finance, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and
  Operations of the House
  May 4, 2026
1A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO ISSUE A RED
3      WOLF SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION
4      OF THE FEES FROM THE PLATE TO SUPPORT RED WOLF CONSERVATION, TO
5      APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND INITIAL ISSUANCE OF
6      THE PLATE AND FOR CAMPUS PROMOTION OF THE PLATE, AND TO DIRECT
7      NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY TO PROMOTE THE PLATE ON CAMPUS.
8Whereas, the red wolf is one of the rarest canids in the world and is native to North
9 Carolina and the southeastern United States; and
10Whereas, North Carolina holds a unique place in the history and future of red wolf
11 conservation; and
12Whereas, the preservation of native wildlife is important to the natural heritage,
13 environmental health, educational mission, and cultural identity of the State; and
14Whereas, the creation of a Red Wolf special registration plate would allow residents
15 of the State to demonstrate support for the preservation of this iconic native species; and
16Whereas, revenues generated from the issuance of the Red Wolf special registration
17 plate can provide a recurring source of support for red wolf conservation, management, research,
18 monitoring, and habitat preservation and restoration; and
19Whereas, it is in the interest of the State to provide one-time funds to support the
20 initial design, development, and issuance of the plate so that the plate may be made available
21 without unnecessary delay; and
22Whereas, North Carolina State University, as a leading public institution with the
23 Wolfpack identity and a broad statewide alumni and supporter network, is well positioned to help
24 promote awareness of the Red Wolf special registration plate and its conservation purpose; Now,
25 therefore,
26 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
27SECTION 1. G.S. 20-63 reads as rewritten:
28 "§ 20-63. Registration plates furnished by Division; requirements; replacement of regular
29plates with First in Flight plates, First in Freedom plates, or National/State
30Mottos plates; surrender and reissuance; displaying; preservation and cleaning;
31alteration or concealment of numbers; commission contracts for issuance.
32      …
33      (b1) The following special registration plates do not have to be a "First in Flight" plate,
34 "First in Freedom" plate, or "National/State Mottos" plate as provided in subsection (b) of this
  *H1157-v-1*
 General Assembly Of North Carolina  Session 2025
1 section. The design of the plates that are not "First in Flight" plates, "First in Freedom" plates, or
2 "National/State Mottos" plate must be developed in accordance with G.S. 20-79.4(a3). For
3 special plates authorized in G.S. 20-79.7 on or after July 1, 2013, the Division may not issue the
4 plate on a background under this subsection unless it receives the required number of applications
5 set forth in G.S. 20-79.3A(a).
6…
7()     Red Wolf.
8…."
9SECTION 2. G.S. 20-79.4 reads as rewritten:
10 "§ 20-79.4. Special registration plates.
11     …
12     (b)      Types. – The Division shall issue the following types of special registration plates:
13…
14()     Red Wolf. – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance
15with G.S. 20-81.12. The plate shall bear the phrase "Red Wolf" and an image
16that depicts a red wolf. The plate authorized by this subdivision is not subject
17to the provisions of G.S. 20-79.3A or G.S. 20-79.8.
18…."
19SECTION 3. G.S. 20-79.7 reads as rewritten:
20 "§ 20-79.7. Fees for special registration plates and distribution of the fees.
21     …
22     (a1) Fees. – All other special registration plates are subject to the regular motor vehicle
23 registration fee in G.S. 20-87 or G.S. 20-88 plus an additional fee in the following amount:
24
25 Special Plate  Additional Fee Amount
26 …
27 Red Drum  Expired July 1, 2016
28 Red Wolf  $30.00
29 Retired Legislator  $30.00
30 …
31     (b)     Distribution of Fees. – The Special Registration Plate Account and the Collegiate and
32 Cultural Attraction Plate Account are established within the Highway Fund. The Division must
33 credit the additional fee imposed for the special registration plates listed in subsection (a1) of this
34 section among the Special Registration Plate Account (SRPA), the Collegiate and Cultural
35 Attraction Plate Account (CCAPA), the North Carolina Land and Water Fund (NCLWF) which
36 is established under G.S. 143B-135.234, and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, which is
37 established under G.S. 143B-135.56, as follows:
38
39  Special Plate  SRPA        CCAPA  NCLWF  PRTF
40  …
41 Professional Engineer – Expired
42 July 1, 2016
43 Red Wolf  $10  $20  0  0
44 Retired Legislator  $10  $20  0  0
45 …."
46SECTION 4. G.S. 20-81.12 is amended by adding the following new subsection to
47 read:
48     "()     Red Wolf. – The Division shall transfer quarterly the money in the Collegiate and
49 Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of Red Wolf plates to the North Carolina
50 Wildlife Resources Commission to be used for red wolf conservation, management, research,
51 monitoring, and habitat preservation and restoration."
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 General Assembly Of North Carolina  Session 2025
1SECTION 5. The Revisor of Statutes is authorized to alphabetize, number, and
2 renumber the special registration plates listed in G.S. 20-63(b1), 20-79.4(b) and 20-81.12 to
3 ensure that all of the special registration plates are listed in alphabetical order and numbered
4 accordingly.
5SECTION 6. North Carolina State University, through the College of Veterinary
6 Medicine, shall actively promote the Red Wolf special registration plate on campus and through
7 appropriate university communications channels by, at a minimum, doing all of the following:
8(1)     Include information about the availability and purpose of the plate on an
9appropriate University webpage.
10(2)     Promote the plate through student, alumni, faculty, staff, and athletics
11communications, as appropriate.
12(3)     Coordinate, as appropriate, with the Division of Motor Vehicles and the North
13Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission on messaging regarding the plate
14and the conservation purpose for which plate proceeds are used.
15(4)     Make reasonable efforts to market the plate at campus events and through
16other outreach channels under the University's control.
17SECTION 7. No later than September 1, 2027, North Carolina State University, in
18 consultation with the Division of Motor Vehicles and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources
19 Commission, shall report to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee, the
20 Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Natural, and Economic Resources, the House
21 Appropriations Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources, and the Fiscal
22 Research Division on the University's efforts to promote the plate and the number of plates
23 issued.
24SECTION 8. There is appropriated from the Highway Fund to the Department of
25 Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) in
26 nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to develop the Red Wolf special registration
27 plate authorized by this act, including plate design, programming, setup, production preparation,
28 and associated administrative costs for initial implementation.
29SECTION 9. There is appropriated from the General Fund to The University of
30 North Carolina Board of Governors for allocation to North Carolina State University, College of
31 Veterinary Medicine, the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in nonrecurring funds for the
32 2026-2027 fiscal year to support the initial promotion and public awareness of the Red Wolf
33 special registration plate established by this act.
34SECTION 10. Sections 8 and 9 of this act become effective July 1, 2026. The
35 remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.
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