HB 1106 Oklahoma House · 2026 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) to create and maintain "electrical wildland fire protection plans" detailing risk areas, infrastructure inspections, vegetation management, and facility upgrades to prevent wildfires. Utilities can recover related costs through rate adjustments approved by the Corporation Commission. The bill shifts liability by shielding utilities from negligence claims if they have a valid plan and followed its fire mitigation steps, but property owners can still sue if a utility lacks a plan. It directly affects utilities managing infrastructure in wildfire-prone areas and property owners impacted by utility-caused fires, effective November 1, 2025.

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 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten by the Policy Committee to strengthen wildland fire prevention and liability. The new version clarifies the act's purpose, adds detailed definitions for key terms, requires utilities to create fire protection plans, and establishes clearer liability for those who negligently cause wildland fires regardless of land ownership.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a general 'Electric Utility Wildland Fire Prevention and Response Act' to a more specific 'Wildland Fire Protection Act' with enhanced provisions for utility planning requirements and liability standards.

DEFINITION

Added comprehensive definitions for 'electric cooperative', 'electric utility', 'electrical wildland fire protection plan', 'injuries arising from ownership of property', 'public utility', and 'wildland fire'.

REQUIREMENT

Requires electric utilities to prepare and maintain electrical wildland fire protection plans including risk assessments, inspection procedures, vegetation management standards, and restoration plans.

Mandates utilities to make fire protection plans available for public inspection upon request and consider input from state and local fire agencies.

FISCAL

Allows utilities to recover prudently incurred costs for fire protection plan implementation through rate adjustments subject to Corporation Commission approval.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarifies liability for persons who negligently, recklessly, or intentionally cause wildland fires, making them liable regardless of whether the fire starts on federal, tribal, state, or private land.

TIMELINE

Changed effective date from November 1, 2025 to no specific date mentioned in the substitute version.

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Committee

Feb 3, 2025

Introduced

First Reading

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors