Oregon committee hears hours of testimony urging passage of bill to limit utility recovery after wildfire judgments

Summary

Lawmakers and dozens of wildfire survivors told the House Judiciary Committee on May 12 that Senate Bill 926 would prevent investor‑owned utilities from shifting wildfire liability costs to ratepayers and would pressure companies to settle long‑pending judgments; the committee did not vote and continued the hearing.

The Oregon House Committee on Judiciary held a public hearing on May 12, 2025, on Senate Bill 926, a proposal that would bar investor‑owned electric companies from recovering wildfire‑related liabilities from ratepayers and would limit certain corporate distributions while wildfire judgments remain unpaid.

The bill matters because survivors of the 2020 Labor Day wildfires said they remain unpaid years after jury findings or judgments and urged the legislature to change the economics that they say allow utilities to delay payment. Committee staff summarized the measure as prohibiting non‑consumer‑owned electric companies that serve 25,000 or more Oregon customers from seeking reimbursement from ratepayers for costs tied to wildfire negligence, including fines, judgments, litigation costs and infrastructure repair where the company’s misconduct caused the fire; it also would bar dividend and stock repurchases while wildfire judgments remain outstanding, direct courts to award 9% interest from the date of ignition, and apply some provisions to wildfires ignited after Jan. 1, 2020.

Survivors, local elected officials and lawmakers described losses of homes, businesses and community facilities and recounted court findings and trial experiences. Senator David…

Oregon committee hears hours of testimony urging passage of bill to limit utility recovery after wildfire judgments

Summary

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