The Oregon House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill to help Oregonians who own property that was damaged or completely destroyed by wildfires.

The new law will authorize tax collectors in a county covered by a state of emergency declared by the Governor, due to wildfire or other act of God, to prorate taxes imposed on a property that was destroyed or damaged, putting more cash into the pockets of Oregonians who need it to recover from devastating losses.

Republicans also expedited the passage of the bill by waiving the requirement to read it in full on the floor before voting. Republicans have not been granting this waiver of the constitutional requirement during this session. Work on wildfire relief measures began during a special session in the fall of 2020 to immediately respond to historic wildfires that ignited during Labor Day weekend.

“I have met with people in my community that literally lost everything to these fires,” said House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby.) “The current process for relief is not working for those who lost their homes and so much more. We have to do everything we can to focus on supporting these Oregonians who are in this position to help them rebuild their lives. I know that this bill can make a big difference, and I hope it is just the beginning.”

At the end of March, House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) issued a call for the Legislature to refocus its priorities on issues like wildfire relief that continue to be an immediate need for Oregonians.

HB 2341 was passed with unanimous support in the House.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-04-08 20:10:19

Last Update: 2021-04-08 20:19:21