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Senate panel approves advisory committee to study rural fire protection district funding
Summary
Senators adopted an amendment and approved Senate Bill 454 as amended to create an advisory committee under the State Fire Marshal to evaluate funding options and limitations for rural fire protection districts, directing a report to the legislature by Dec. 31, 2026.
The Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue on Monday adopted an amendment and sent Senate Bill 454 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation after hearing testimony that rural fire protection districts face persistent funding shortfalls.
Senate Bill 454 as amended would require the Department of the State Fire Marshal to convene an advisory committee to review funding mechanisms available to rural fire protection districts, identify funding limitations and services provided, and develop recommendations. The bill sets a committee report deadline of Dec. 31, 2026.
Brian Stewart, assistant chief with Clackamas Fire District and a member of the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association board, told the committee the Oregon fire service convened regional leaders and produced a document outlining shared financial challenges. “What underpinned each of those ... was each component of that had insufficient funding for those challenges,” Stewart said, listing rising EMS call volume, recruitment and retention, and wildfire risks among the pressures.
Stewart said the dash-2 version of the bill “brings that opportunity to have those conversations in a structured and methodical way, under the work of the Oregon State Fire Marshal.” He noted the fire service includes hundreds of agencies, “over 80% of which are rural fire protection districts,” and urged the committee to enable a study that will produce concrete talking points and options for funding.
Several senators emphasized the statewide nature of the problem and noted examples from coastal and inland rural communities. Senator Dan Weber of District 16 said rural fire departments are “integral to sustaining our health in our small communities” and voiced his full support. Senators also discussed how wildfire funding and forest-lane classification issues intersect with rural district funding and noted House Bill 3940 addresses one such statutory provision.
Vice Chair McLean moved adoption of the dash-2 amendment dated May 7; the committee adopted the amendment without recorded opposition and then moved the amended bill to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation. The committee described the fiscal impact of the bill as minimal and stated it would have no revenue impact.
The motion to send the bill to the floor was announced as passed; committee leadership assigned Senator Weber as the carrier for the bill.
