Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildfire Mitigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wildfire mitigation bill fails on House floor amid concern over liability limits
Summary
HB2201, which would require electric utilities to prepare wildfire mitigation plans for review, failed in the House (28–32). Supporters said the bill would increase prevention and protect first responders; opponents raised liability and insurance concerns and said the measure would limit consumer remedies.
Lawmakers voted down House Bill 2201, a proposal requiring electric utilities to prepare and submit wildfire mitigation plans, after a floor debate that centered on liability limits, insurance effects and whether required plans would be implemented.
Proponents, including members representing fire districts and labor unions, said the bill would require utilities to develop publicly reviewed mitigation plans and thereby reduce wildfire risk to communities and first responders. “This will protect our union workers with safety, continuity of the system, and grid reliability,” a legislator supporting the bill told the chamber.
Opponents argued the bill would limit consumers’ ability to pursue legal remedies and could shift risk to homeowners’ insurers or affect insurance availability. Representative Collin (explaining a no vote) warned of consequences citing other states: “California did something very similar to this bill,” Collin said, arguing the result can be greater risk at the local level if implementation is incomplete.
Other members raised concerns about whether the bill merely required plans to be prepared but lacked enforcement or implementation mandates. Representative Sandoval said the measure required a mitigation plan but did not require utilities to implement it and criticized the proposal’s impact on consumer legal options.
When the roll call concluded, the clerk recorded 28 ayes and 32 nays; the bill failed to pass. Later in the session Representative Blackman moved to reconsider the earlier failure of HB2201; the House voted to reconsider and placed the bill back on the order of business for third reading at a subsequent session.
