ORS 476.398: Annual reports.

(1) The State Fire Marshal shall annually report regarding the status of State Fire Marshal and local government activities for carrying out ORS 476.392 to a committee or interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to wildfire, in the manner provided in ORS 192.245, to the State Wildfire Programs Director and to the Wildfire Programs Advisory Council. (2) The report shall include, but need not be limited to: (a) A status report regarding the community risk reduction program; (b) The amount of moneys expended during the year for the community risk reduction program; (c) The amount of moneys expended during the year for the suppression of fires on wildland-urban interface lands; and (d) Any recommendations of the State Fire Marshal for legislative action, including, but not limited to, current or future resource and funding needs for the community risk reduction program. [2021 c.592 §10; 2025 c.590 §11] (Temporary provisions relating to recommendations for community-based wildfire risk mitigation and insurance affordability) Sec. 1. (1) The Department of Consumer and Business Services and the Department of the State Fire Marshal, in consultation with the State Forestry Department and representatives of the insurance industry, shall evaluate and develop recommendations for community-based wildfire risk mitigation actions, programs and strategies that could have positive impacts on reducing wildfire risks and increasing insurance affordability and availability in this state. (2) The actions, programs and strategies described in this section include, but are not limited to: (a) Property-level actions, programs and strategies, including establishing defensible space, hardening a building or receiving certification from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety or a similar entity; and (b) Community-level actions, programs and strategies, with an emphasis on encouraging collaborative activities among residents of cohesive neighborhoods, including community risk-reduction programs offered by the Department of the State Fire Marshal, the Institute for Business and Home Safety or a similar entity. [2025 c.217 §1] Sec. 2. (1) The Department of Consumer and Business Services and the Department of the State Fire Marshal shall jointly submit a report on the evaluation and recommendations under section 1 of this 2025 Act, in the manner provided by ORS 192.245, to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to wildfire no later than February 2, 2026. The report must include: (a) Recommendations for legislative changes, if any, to positively impact the availability and affordability of homeowners insurance in this state. (b) A discussion of the discounts or incentives that the insurance industry could provide to consumers in this state who complete actions, programs or strategies described in section 1 of this 2025 Act. (c) Information from homeowner insurers regarding the ways in which insurers treat wildfire risk mitigation actions, as defined in ORS 742.277, in making underwriting and rate decisions. The information must include, but is not limited to: (A) A list of wildfire risk mitigation actions that, taken together, could have a significant impact on underwriting or rating decisions for each insurer; (B) A description of the circumstances under which each wildfire risk mitigation action would have a significant impact on underwriting or rating decisions; (C) A discussion of trends and variability among insurers regarding treatment of wildfire risk mitigation actions in making underwriting and rating decisions; and (D) A summary of best practices among insurers who recognize wildfire mitigation risk actions in making underwriting and rating decisions. (2) The Department of Consumer and Business Services and the Department of the State Fire Marshal shall also submit the report to the State Wildfire Programs Director and the Wildfire Programs Advisory Council. (3) All records, documents, work papers, recorded information or copies thereof, that are produced or obtained by, or disclosed to, the Department of Consumer and Business Services under subsection (1)(c) of this section: (a) Are provided to the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services in the course of analysis by the director of the financial condition or market conduct of an insurer under ORS 731.312 (6); and (b) Are confidential, privileged and exempt from public disclosure under ORS 705.137. [2025 c.217 §2] Sec. 3. Sections 1 and 2 of this 2025 Act are repealed on January 2, 2027. [2025 c.217 §3] STANDARDIZATION OF FIRE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT