Committee holds wildfire mitigation fund bill for more work after department briefing

House Bill 384, sponsored by Representative Jordan Redmond and presented in part by Idaho Department of Insurance Director Dean Cameron, would have created an Idaho Wildfire Risk Mitigation Fund to provide grants and incentives for homeowners to harden properties against wildfire and to reduce insurance market pressure in wildfire‑exposed areas.

Cameron said the proposal was modeled in part on mitigation programs in other states (for example, Alabama’s fortified‑home grants for hurricane resilience) and would allow use of future premium‑tax revenue and a portion of surplus stamping fees from the surplus‑lines market to capitalize a Fund. The director told the committee the program’s goal is to reduce wildfire risk for homeowners, lower claims and overall insurance costs, and to widen insurer participation in Idaho’s property market.

Testimony and questions covered several elements: how funds would be sourced (future premium tax receipts and surplus‑lines stamping fees), whether the department or a board should administer grants, what metrics would measure success and whether the proposal duplicated existing mitigation work by the Department of Insurance and other agencies. Members also raised concerns about the proposal’s interaction with lenders, home sales and whether mitigation grants would be equitable across urban and rural areas.

Given those drafting and policy questions and limited time for discussion, a committee member moved to hold House Bill 384 in committee so sponsors and department staff could refine the bill language and fiscal mechanics. The motion to hold carried. Director Cameron said the department had other mitigation ideas and thanked the committee for its questions and the chance to refine the draft.

The bill remains in committee for further drafting, fiscal analysis and stakeholder consultations.