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Work group bill aims to align mitigation standards and address insurance nonrenewals
Summary
House Bill 15-39 would form a work group led by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner and DNR to align wildfire mitigation standards with science‑based guidance, improve data sharing and consumer transparency, and recommend a residential retrofit grant program.
House Bill 15-39 would establish a Wildfire Mitigation and Resiliency Standards Work Group co‑chaired by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner and the Department of Natural Resources. The group would include representatives from insurers, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, local emergency management, the Fire Chiefs Association, and legislators as ex officio members; it must report recommendations to the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2025.
Representative Christine Reeves, sponsor of the bill, told the committee the work group is intended to align insurance and wildfire mitigation standards, increase consumer transparency about hazards and insurance nonrenewals, and develop recommendations for a retrofit grant program and other measures to improve community resilience. Lily Smith, staff to the committee, noted the bill is substantially identical to last year’s engrossed House Bill 2330 and carries a requested fiscal note that was not yet available.
Testimony: Kenton Bridal, president of the Northwest Insurance Council, said nonrenewals and rapidly rising premiums have made insurance availability a “significant challenge” for homeowners and that insurers need confidence that communities have adopted effective mitigation measures. Michael Newman of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety said the work group should align standards with nationally recognized, science‑based mitigations such as home hardening and defensible space and supported a grant program to help homeowners retrofit properties to meet mitigation criteria.
Local perspectives: Fire Chief Mike Busey (Stevens County) told the committee that insurers currently do not account for local fire district capabilities in wildfire risk ratings and urged the work group to include fire districts’ mitigation contributions. Representatives for forest owners and rural networks asked for direct representation of small forest landowners and consumers to ensure the work group hears impacted voices.
Ending: The bill’s sponsor emphasized a collaborative, cross‑agency approach to address gaps that are driving insurance market responses and to identify grant and retrofit options for homeowners and communities. Stakeholders asked that the work group include consumer and landowner representation and that any recommendations be practical at the local level.
