A pair of bills aimed at increasing protections for wildfire survivors have stalled out in the Oregon legislature as a transportation funding bill dominates the final days of the 2025 session.
As of press time Wednesday, no future meetings were scheduled to consider either SB 926 or SB 587, despite initial broad bipartisan support.
All bills must pass by Sunday, the constitutionally-mandated deadline to conclude the session.
SB 926 would ban electric utilities from charging customers for legal losses from negligently-caused wildfires. SB 587 would allow settlements and judgments over such wildfires to be tax-exempt.
Both have cleared the Senate and received “do-pass” recommendations from their respective House committees, but no action has been taken on either since June 10.
Rep. Jami Cate (R-Lebanon) told Our Town Monday these bills have not been included in ongoing negotiations to end the session, and appear destined to die in committee.
“I wish I had better news, but it seems the bills will not be moving,” said Cate.
Cate said these and other bills have taken a back seat to a $14.6 billion transportation package as Democratic leaders struggle to secure enough votes. Critics of the bill say it would raise taxes too high too fast, and that the bill is too complex to carefully consider in the few days before the session closes.
Cate said, while the provisions in SB 926 or SB 587 could be reintroduced during the 2026 short session, there are wildfire victims who have been waiting years for compensation and “time is of the essence.”
Labor Day Fires
Central to both bills is an ongoing class action lawsuit over the 2020 Labor Day fires, which has seen more than 3,000 Oregonians seek jury trials or settlements. PacifiCorp was found negligently liable by a jury in 2023 for the Santiam, Echo Mountain Complex, South Obenchain and 242 fires, and damages proceedings are under way.
PacifiCorp denies liability and has appealed the 2023 verdict to the Oregon Court of Appeals. Meanwhile trials continue in the case and as of the latest verdict June 10 $416 million has been awarded to 79 plaintiffs, with 1,650 claims still pending before the court.
SB 926
In testimony in support of SB 926, fire survivor Sam Drevo, who is also a lead plaintiff in the suit, said Oregon must find a way to hold power companies accountable when they act negligently. He said PacifiCorp has funnelled billions of dollars into parent company Berkshire Hathaway, and that such a company will only change its behavior when hit in the pocketbook.
“This is an entity that speaks the language of money,” said Drevo.
Pacific Power, the local subsidiary of PacifiCorp, opposed the bill and claimed in written testimony the bill would drive up energy costs and limit investments in clean energy. The company also said the legislature would be overstepping its bounds and interfere with the judiciary by passing a law that pressures a utility to settle wildfire claims.
Also opposed was Portland General Electric, who testified that the bill’s language was “problematically broad” such as failing to account for settlements where there was no finding of fault. The company also said power utilities must already prove that a request for increased costs is “prudent,” and this would exclude losses from negligence.
SB 926 passed the senate April 23 and received approval from the House Committee On Judiciary May 22. It was referred May 29 to the Joint Committee On Ways and Means, and since then has not been the subject of any further official action.
SB 587
SB 587 would allow settlements and judgments for a wildfire caused by negligence to be exempt from state excise and income taxes on businesses. This would be an expansion of a bill passed in 2024 that created an exemption for personal income taxes.
Drevo, who owns Northwest River Guides, also testified in support of this bill and said “there is a strong need” for businesses to have access to the exemption.
Also in support was Willamette Valley Vineyards, who is separately suing PacifiCorp for smoke damage to grapes in 2020. Spokesperson Bill Cross testified that businesses should not be punished again by paying heavy taxes on legal payouts meant to help them recover from wildfire losses.
PacifiCorp did not publicly take a stance on the bill. No written testimony was submitted in opposition to the bill.
SB 587 was approved May 28 by the Senate Committee Finance and Revenue and was referred June 2 to the Joint Committee On Tax Expenditures. The committee held a public hearing June 10, and no further official action has been taken in the bill.
Other failed bills
This session has already seen the demise of multiple wildfire-related bills, ranging from those placing pressure on utilities to resolve lawsuits to bills creating a possible alternative to litigation.
HB 3161 would have created a ban on electric utilities raising rates if they are the subject of a wildfire lawsuit that has been pending for more than three years. The bill was assigned Jan. 17 to the House Committee On Judiciary and never received a hearing.
HB 3666 would have required an electric utility to apply annually for a wildfire safety certificate and prove compliance with wildfire prevention standards. The bill stalled after being referred April 11 to the House Committee On Rules. A revised version of the bill’s language was then added to SB 926 in a May 22 amendment.
HB 3917 would have created a ‘Catastrophic Wildfire Fund’ from which claims for utility-caused wildfires could be paid, funded both by customer fees and payments from utility shareholders. An April 8 hearing was scheduled before the Joint Committee On Ways and Means, but was canceled the day before after lawmakers resolved to seek an alternative solution.
HB 3139 would have expanded the definition of those who qualify for a 2024 property tax exemption for victims who rebuilt their primary residence after wildfires. The bill was referred Jan. 17 to the House Committee On Revenue and never received a committee hearing.
