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Committee reviews wildfire mitigation work‑group report recommending IBHS standards, community grants and data sharing
Summary
Senate public hearing on SB 5919 featured the wildfire mitigation work group report (created under substitute HB 1539). The work group urged science‑based property mitigation guidance (IBHS), expanded DNR community resilience funding, parcel‑level risk data coordination and a voluntary retrofit grant program to reduce insurance nonrenewals.
OLYMPIA — The Senate Business, Trade and Economic Development Committee opened a public hearing on Senate Bill 5,919 on Jan. 14 and heard the wildfire mitigation and resiliency standards work group report, which the group delivered to the legislature on Dec. 1.
William Bridges, committee staff, summarized SB 5,919 as encouraging fire districts and insurers to collaborate on voluntary wildfire mitigation incentives focused on agricultural activities (defensible space, firebreaks and equipment storage). He said the bill contains no appropriation and that a fiscal note was not requested.
David Fort and Lauren Burns of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner described the work group established by substitute House Bill 1539 and its eight meetings since last July. Burns said the group heard from about 20 subject‑matter experts and that the report "centers on science based standards, strong community investment, better data coordination, consumer transparency, and direct support to homeowners." Fort and Burns emphasized that the group did not reach consensus on a single property‑level mitigation standard but recommended reconstituting the work group under the State Fire Marshal's Office with DNR and OIC support to study use‑case‑based standards.
Among recommendations the work group identified were expanding DNR's community resilience programs with restored stable funding, establishing a coordinated data framework to improve parcel‑level risk assessments and creating a repository where property owners can document mitigation progress, and designing a voluntary retrofit grant program tied to IBHS (Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety) wildfire‑prepared home standards to reduce residential insurance nonrenewals and cancellations.
Why it matters: OIC staff said homeowners who have invested in mitigation still sometimes face nonrenewals or cancellations, and the group argued that pairing community mitigation with property hardening and improved consumer transparency would better protect insurance availability and community resilience.
Questions from committee members focused on next steps and implementation: Fort and Burns said legislative engagement and potential funding would be required to reconstitute the group under the State Fire Marshal and to operationalize grant programs and data sharing. The committee did not take immediate action on SB 5919 during the session.
Next steps: OIC and DNR expect continued committee engagement this session, with potential legislation or budget requests to implement the work group's recommendations.
