Conference committee discusses SB223 creating DLNR wildfire program; rolls measure to 4 p.m.

Conferees discussed SB223 SD2 HD1 on April 25; the committee agreed the bill would establish an independent wildfire-prevention program within the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), authorize the DLNR administrator to establish and maintain facilities for fire protection and related activities, and create a community fuels reduction project administered by DLNR.

The conference draft would also allow the State Fire Council to amend the state fire code to require owners and occupants in hazardous fire areas to maintain fire breaks and follow other prevention measures. Committee members said the bill originally included a section requesting appropriations for full‑time equivalent positions for fiscal years 2025–26 and 2026–27, but conferees agreed to remove that section because the funding is already in the enacted budget.

The conference draft sets effective dates for the statutory parts at July 1, 2025. Conferees recorded that they had quorum on the Senate side but asked to move floor action to later in the day; the committee agreed to roll SB223 to 4:00 p.m. in Room 411 for continued consideration.

The committee noted this measure is intended to improve prevention, control and extinguishment capacity for wildfires within forest reserves, and to formalize community-level fuels reduction projects under DLNR oversight. No final committee vote was recorded during the April 25 session; the measure was scheduled for further action later the same day.