House amends, passes fire aid bill

OLYMPIA — The state House of Representatives has stripped the flexibility of wildfire victims in rebuilding out of a bill introduced by Rep. Mike Volz, R-Spokane.

Volz’s original House Bill 1899 would have allowed wildfire victim’s to rebuild under Jan. 1, 2023, construction codes, if they so chose.

The amended version strips that flexibility and would only make assistance available to victims rebuilding using more energy efficient and environmental-friendly ways.

Subject to the funding availability, the state Department of Commerce would establish and administer the program to help qualifying property owners and local governments that had buildings destroyed or damaged in a wildfire after Jan. 1, 2023.

“The people affected by these wildfires should not be hit with additional burdens and red tape,” Volz said. “However, the bill as amended, falls far short of the original. It does not allow people to choose which codes they will use, and it doesn’t get the financial relief to the victims fast enough.”

According to Volz, fire victims are still trying to rebuild around Medical Lake, Cheney, Elk and other areas.

“Many folks in my district are still suffering from the devastating wildfires last summer in Eastern Washington,” bill sponsor Rep. Mike Volz, R-Spokane, said. “Some of them were left with nothing, and they are still trying to recover.

“People are suffering, and they need help now. If they had passed the bill in its original form, it would have made a real difference immediately.”

The bill now heads to the Senate for further consideration.