Hearing on wildfire risk mitigation bill focuses on neighborhood-based standards to improve insurance access (Senate Bill 85A)

The House Climate, Energy, and Environment Committee held a public hearing April 29 on Senate Bill 85A, which would require the Department of Consumer and Business Services and the State Fire Marshal, in collaboration with the Department of Forestry and insurance-industry representatives, to evaluate and develop community-based wildfire risk mitigation strategies intended to reduce wildfire risk and improve insurance affordability in Oregon.

Senator Jeff Golden, sponsor of the bill, said the measure aims to create a framework that helps neighborhoods work together — through voluntary "neighborhood protective cooperatives" — to reduce wildfire risk and win recognition from insurers for home-hardening and defensible-space measures. Golden said the ultimate policy goal is that "every property owner who does everything they reasonably can to reduce wildfire risk on their property should have access to affordable and adequate insurance." He told the committee the proposal reflects ongoing coordination among state officials and insurers and asked the committee to allow state officials and the industry to develop consistent standards rather than the legislature imposing a separate system.

Golden said the insurance industry has developed protocols described as "wildfire-prepared homes" and is working toward neighborhood-level standards; the bill would keep the insurance commissioner and state fire marshal closely involved in that work and promote voluntary risk-assessment and advisory roles. He noted that TK Keane was present and that state leadership has been engaged in national conversations about aligning government policy and insurance underwritings.

The committee closed the hearing after the sponsor's presentation; no votes were recorded on the bill in the transcript.