Senate Bill 23-275 Summary

• Establishes the Colorado Wild Horse Project as a state-owned nonprofit entity within the Department of Agriculture to manage wild horse herds on Colorado's federal lands.

• Creates two programs: the Wild Horse Stewardship Program for rangeland management and infrastructure (fencing, water sources) and the Wild Horse Fertility Control Program using humane, nonlethal contraceptive methods to control population growth.

• Establishes a Wild Horse Working Group with representatives from state agencies, legislature, tribes, ranching communities, and wild horse advocacy organizations to identify long-term solutions for off-range horses, including state preserves, sanctuaries, and adoption networks.

• Funds the initiative with $1.5 million transferred from the General Fund to the newly created Wild Horse Project Fund, which accepts gifts, grants, federal payments, and donations to support operations.

• Requires annual reporting to the Governor and legislature on program expenditures, horses treated, foals born, and actions taken; most provisions expire between July 2024 and December 2027.