Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bill would make people who refuse evacuation orders financially responsible for rescues, sponsor says
Summary
Representative Heather Scott presented House Bill 97, proposing that individuals who decline official evacuation orders accept risk and reimburse government or nonprofit rescuers if they require later rescue; committee sent the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.
Representative Heather Scott told the Senate State Affairs Committee that House Bill 97 aims to preserve individual liberty while encouraging personal responsibility during emergency evacuations.
"What the language will do is it affirms that Idahoans have a right to stay in their homes during an official evacuation order. However, if they do, they're gonna take personal responsibility for this decision," Scott said, describing proposed statutory language the draft calls "involuntary noncompliance" and explaining that the bill would require reimbursement of government or cooperating nonprofit entities for the costs of later rescue or evacuation.
Scott cited national examples — including Hurricane Katrina and California wildfires — to illustrate incidents where late rescues placed first responders at risk and imposed taxpayer costs. The bill amends provisions in Title 46 (state disaster preparedness) as described in her presentation; the committee voted to send House Bill 97 to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation.
Next steps: The bill was advanced to the Senate floor for further consideration. The transcript records the sponsor's description of proposed consequences and reimbursement but does not record specific reimbursement formulas or cap amounts; those details were not specified on the record.
