HB 1106 Oklahoma House · 2025 Regular Session

Public utilities; creating the Electric Utility Wildland Fire Prevention and Response Act of 2025; effective date.

HB 1106 requires Oklahoma electric utilities (including cooperatives and public utilities) to create and maintain public "electrical wildland fire protection plans" focused on preventing wildfires. These plans must detail risk areas, infrastructure inspections, vegetation management, facility upgrades, and fire response procedures. Utilities avoid liability for wildfires if they followed their approved plan and completed required mitigation work, but property owners can sue for capped damages (limited to restoration costs) if a utility lacks a plan and negligently caused a fire. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025, and allows utilities to recover plan-related costs through rate adjustments.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action Feb 4, 2025

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten by the Policy Committee to rename it from the 'Electric Utility Wildland Fire Prevention and Response Act' to the 'Wildland Fire Protection Act' and significantly expand its scope. The new version defines key terms, requires electric utilities to create fire protection plans, and establishes liability for individuals who negligently or intentionally cause wildland fires regardless of land ownership.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded from focusing only on electric utilities to also addressing liability for individuals who cause wildland fires, regardless of whether the fire starts on federal, tribal, state, or private land.

SCOPE

Bill title changed from 'Electric Utility Wildland Fire Prevention and Response Act' to 'Wildland Fire Protection Act'

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for electric cooperative, electric utility, electrical wildland fire protection plan, injuries arising from property ownership, public utility, and wildland fire

REQUIREMENT

Requires electric utilities to prepare and maintain electrical wildland fire protection plans describing risk areas, inspection procedures, vegetation management, and restoration procedures

Requires utilities to make fire protection plans available for public inspection upon request

FISCAL

Allows electric utilities to recover costs through rate adjustments for implementing fire protection plans

ENFORCEMENT

Establishes liability for persons who negligently, recklessly, or intentionally cause wildland fires regardless of land jurisdiction

TIMELINE

Removed specific effective date of November 1, 2025 from the original version

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Committee

Feb 3, 2025

Introduced

First Reading

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors