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Committee adopts Dash 4 for insurer wildfire‑risk modeling bill and refers amended bill to rules
Summary
The committee adopted a Dash 4 amendment to SB 15 40 limiting disclosure of risk‑scores, replacing 'approval' with 'review' language for models, adding actuarial requirements for discounts, and moving the operative date to July 1, 2027; the amended bill was advanced to the floor with a referral to Senate Rules.
The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire on Feb. 12 adopted a Dash 4 amendment to Senate Bill 15 40 and advanced the amended bill to the floor while requesting referral to the Senate Committee on Rules.
Alexa summarized SB 15 40 as a bill that would require insurers using selected risk modeling methods to submit those models or methods to the Department of Consumer and Business Services for review, require insurers to consider community or property mitigation when assessing risk, and require disclosures, mitigation incentives and an appeals process applicable to fire, casualty, property and homeowners policies.
Dave Jones, former insurance commissioner for the state of California, described the Dash 4 changes as addressing industry concerns. "First, it adds language that makes clear that the bill is not imposing a new requirement to file underwriting manuals and guidelines," Jones said. He explained Dash 4 also limits when policyholders or applicants are provided a wildfire risk score (for example, when a policy is not renewed, canceled, or an adverse rating or denial results), substitutes director 'review' of models for any new 'approval' process, requires actuarially supported discounts, moves notice deadlines to business days, pushes the operative date to 07/01/2027, and treats models as trade secrets exempt from disclosure.
Kenton Bridal, president of the Northwest Insurance Council, said he had not fully reviewed Dash 4 in the brief window but confirmed many of Jones' points and urged additional time for the industry to offer feedback. "I would like to review this language and certainly provide any additional feedback," Bridal said, stressing that insurers are trying to balance providing actionable information to consumers while avoiding excessive regulatory burdens that could worsen availability and cost issues.
Members discussed procedural options for the bill, including whether the bill would be referred to Rules or to Ways and Means because of a fiscal impact. Chair Golden noted a fiscal referral would move the bill to Ways and Means unless Rules receives it; the committee briefly recessed to clarify that procedural question. After returning, the committee adopted the Dash 4 amendment on a recorded roll and then voted to send SB 15 40, as amended, to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation and referral to Senate Rules.
The committee recorded the amendment vote and the final referral vote (both reported 5 to nothing) and closed the SB 15 40 work session. Committee leaders asked the industry representatives to continue engagement as the bill proceeds to Rules for further negotiation and potential technical changes.
