Directs the Department of the State Fire Marshal to establish a grant program to facilitate the retrofitting of dwellingsto reduce vulnerability to wildfire.

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
A-Engrossed
House Bill 3172
Ordered by the House March 26
Including House Amendments dated March 26
Sponsored by Representatives MARSH, MCINTIRE; Representatives BOICE, GAMBA, LEVY B, OSBORNE (Pre-
session filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability standards.
Digest: The Act tells an agency to create a grant program for reducing wildfire damage.
The program is for retrofitting dwellings. The Act gives money for the program. (Flesch
Readability Score: 69.2).
[Digest: The Act tells an agency to create a grant program for reducing wildfire damage. The
program is for retrofitting homes and other structures. The Act gives money for the program. (Flesch
Readability Score: 69.7). ]
Directs the Department of the State Fire Marshal to establish a grant program to facilitate the
retrofitting of dwellings [ and accessory structures ] to reduce vulnerability to wildfire.
Appropriates moneys to the department out of the General Fund for the program.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to reducing the vulnerability of structures to wildfire; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
(1) In collaboration with the Department of Consumer and Business Ser-
vices, the Department of the State Fire Marshal shall establish and implement a grant pro-
gram called the Wildfire Prepared Structure Program to facilitate the retrofitting of
dwellings existing on the effective date of this 2025 Act, as well as dwellings constructed
following wildfire damage, to be resistant and resilient to wildfire.
(2) To implement the program, the Department of the State Fire Marshal shall:
(a) Publish a list of eligible retrofits and materials that reduce the vulnerability of
structures to wildfire and flying embers, as identified in section R327 of the Oregon Resi-
dential Specialty Code or other relevant industry best practices and standards.
(b) Consider the relative cost-effectiveness of the retrofits and materials.
(c) Award individual grants to persons and block grants to counties for the counties to
award as individual grants to persons.
(d) Establish ranking and criteria for awarding individual grants that include a prefer-
ence for projects that:
(A) Benefit persons who live in the wildland-urban interface, as defined pursuant to ORS
477.015 and 477.027.
(B) Benefit persons who implement defensible space requirements described in ORS
476.392.
(C) Benefit persons in socially vulnerable communities.
(D) Benefit low-income persons who have demonstrated financial need.
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 1110
A-Eng. HB 3172
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(E) Benefit persons whose homes have been destroyed or significantly damaged by a
wildfire for which authority has been exercised under the Emergency Conflagration Act set
out in ORS 476.510 to 476.610.
(e) Establish formats by which persons who receive individual grants and counties that
receive block grants must report to the State Fire Marshal.
(3) A person who receives an individual grant shall:
(a) Complete the grant project on a timeline approved when the individual grant is
awarded.
(b) Report to the State Fire Marshal in a format designated pursuant to subsection (2)(e)
of this section.
(4) A county that receives a block grant shall report to the State Fire Marshal in a for-
mat designated pursuant to subsection (2)(e) of this section.
(5) The department, and counties that receive block grants, shall accept applications for
individual grants:
(a) At least once per year, for dwellings existing on the effective date of this 2025 Act,
on a date or dates determined by the department.
(b) As needed, for dwellings constructed following wildfire damage.
(6) The department may adopt rules as needed to implement this section, in consultation
with other agencies, local governments, nongovernmental organizations and the Wildfire
Programs Advisory Council established by ORS 476.690.
SECTION 2.
In addition to and not in lieu of any other appropriation, there is appropri-
ated to the Department of the State Fire Marshal, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025,
out of the General Fund, the amount of $______, for carrying out the provisions of section 1
of this 2025 Act. This appropriation is available continuously until expended for the purpose
specified in this section.
SECTION 3. This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
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