Republicans force vote to repeal flawed wildfire maps

By Oregon House Republican Caucus
May 29th, 2025

Today, House Republicans forced a vote on the House Floor on Senate Bill 83, a bipartisan and bicameral effort to lift costly and burdensome regulations imposed on communities by the Statewide Wildfire Hazard Map. The motion to withdraw the bill from the Rules Committee failed despite receiving bipartisan votes. Only seven House Democrats were allowed a Hall Pass by Democrat Leadership, resulting in a 29-22 vote.

“Once again, Speaker Fahey is weaponizing the democratic process and playing politics with Oregonians’ lives so they can leverage stealing their kicker,” said House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby). “This bill matters to Oregonians and should not continue to be held hostage. SB 83 has been heavily vetted through an open public process that included multiple hearings, stakeholder input, and thousands of emails from Oregonians harmed by these flawed maps.”

Last week, under the heavy hand of House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-Eugene), House Democrats voted to move the bill to the Rules Committee instead of the House Floor so they could hold it hostage and try to coerce Republicans into voting to steal Oregonians’ kicker.

“It saddens me to see a group of representatives, who are so beholden to their liberal bosses committed to stealing our kicker, not care at all about the will of the people they represent. We have had almost 40 years to reform wildfire funding and House Democrats are now using these flawed wildfire maps as leverage to take away money from the same people that voted for them,” said Rep. Virgle Osborne (R-Roseburg), the House Republican Whip. “These wildfire maps have cost people property values, insurance increases, and many heartaches.”

The bill has received careful consideration in both chambers and included extensive stakeholder engagement that resulted in the bill receiving unanimous support on the Senate Floor.