2024 State of Colorado Tom Clements Excellence in State Government Award

The recognition is one of the awards that honors Tom Clements, a dedicated public servant who was tragically killed in March 2013 during his tenure of service to the state as executive director of the Department of Corrections. To honor his legacy, the Tom Clements Better Government Award recognizes the work of those who enhance the performance and outcomes of state government.

This award honors those whose work embodies Colorado's commitment to building a lasting culture of excellence.

DENVER, Tuesday, May 7, 2024 -- On Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis announced the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) as the recipients of the 2024 Tom Clements Better Government Award for Outstanding Innovation in Government. The award recognizes both state agencies’ work to support Colorado state parks and outdoor conservation through the launch of the $29 Keep Colorado Wild Pass(opens in new window).  

As part of the Keep Colorado Wild Annual Pass Act of 2021, the DMV teamed up with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to create an optional annual state parks pass that can be added when registering passenger vehicles, light trucks, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. The pass can be purchased for $29 and features one year of state park access.

Since becoming available to purchase in January 2023, the DMV and CPW have raised more than $55 million to help fund state parks, search and rescue teams, avalanche safety, wildlife conservation, and outdoor education.

Keep Colorado Wild Passes can be purchased during the annual vehicle registration process, online at myDMV.Colorado.gov(opens in new window), at an MV Express Kiosk(opens in new window) and at a county motor vehicle office(opens in new window).

“The DMV is honored to be recognized for our part in this outstanding program,” DMV Senior Director Electra Bustle said. “Thank you to our partners at Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and to the Coloradans who’ve made this program a success by purchasing a Keep Colorado Wild pass when registering their vehicle.”

“Our partnership with the Division of Motor Vehicles on the Keep Colorado Wild Pass has been so rewarding. We're thrilled for this opportunity to celebrate the expanded access to our state parks and the new funding for important safety programs to better serve Coloradans who love to live life outside," said Jeff Davis, Director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. "The Keep Colorado Wild program not only makes access to the outdoors easier for our shared customers, but has strengthened collaboration across divisions by sharing data between our complex systems."

We purchased our Keep Colorado Wild park passes - do you have your's yet?