Bill aims to create new Colorado Chicana/o license plate

Morgan Whitley
·2 min read
7

DENVER (KDVR) — A bill that would create a Chicana/o specialty Colorado license plate moved forward on Thursday.

Rep. Tim Hernández and Sen. Julie Gonzales are sponsoring House Bill 24-1105, known as the “Creating the Chicano Special License Plate” bill.

The bill was under consideration and went in front of the House Finance Committee on Thursday. The committee voted 9-2 to pass the bill.

Now, the bill will be referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

“The Chicana/o community has a rich history in Colorado, and we have made significant contributions to the social, political, and cultural landscape in our state,” said Hernández. “Coloradans who support this license plate will donate to local nonprofits that provide essential services and resources to the Chicana/o community, from youth violence prevention programs to higher education support. I’m proud to sponsor legislation that can celebrate and honor our people.”

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Once fully passed, the specialty plate will be available to everyone beginning on Jan. 1, 2025.

The plate features the tagline “Chicana/o Power!”

Chicana/o license plate
Chicana/o license plate

According to Merriam-Webster, Chicana/o is defined as an American, man or woman, of Mexican descent.

Those who want to display this new license plate on their car and support and represent the community must provide certification that they donated to a nonprofit. The nonprofit must:

  • Provides Chicana/o youth leadership training

  • Promotes and facilitates access to higher education for Chicana/o students

  • Provides Chicana/o youth violence prevention programs

  • Works to increase the social, political, and economic well-being of the Chicana/o community, or

  • Provides ethnic studies educational programs, including those related to Chicana/o history, institutional racism, and immigration

The plate will require two fees of $25 on top of the standard motor vehicle fees.

This is not the first time a Chicana/o license plate has been proposed in the House. In both 2016 and 2018, the bill was lost.

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