Michael Baumgartner (R-WA)
Wildfire Event Contract Prohibition Act
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Wildfire Event Contract Prohibition Act," aims to amend the Commodity Exchange Act. It seeks to prohibit any contracts, transactions, or swaps involving wildfire events from being traded through registered entities. The prohibition covers various wildfire aspects such as ignition, spread, and property damage. Additionally, the Act mandates a federal review of existing authorities to address those profiting from or influencing wildfire events. The Attorney General will lead this review in consultation with several federal agencies.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +5
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill indirectly supports environmental stability by removing financial incentives that could encourage wildfire-related activities.
- Scored +5
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
Rural residents, often on the front lines of wildfires, are protected from market-driven incentives that could exacerbate disaster impacts.
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill protects consumers by prohibiting the gambling on destructive wildfire events and preventing exploitation of nonpublic information.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Prevention of improper financial incentives: The bill aims to stop the creation of financial incentives that profit from the ignition, spread, and destructive effects of wildfires (Section 3).
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Protection of public confidence: By prohibiting these contracts, the bill seeks to prevent the undermining of public confidence in emergency-response decisions (Section 3).
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Reduction of information exploitation: The Act targets the potential for people to exploit nonpublic information regarding wildfire conditions, evacuation orders, or containment activities (Section 3).
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Prevention of gambling on destruction: The bill intends to ensure that regulated markets do not facilitate gambling on the destruction of homes, businesses, natural resources, or communities (Section 3).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill indirectly supports environmental stability by removing financial incentives that could encourage wildfire-related activities. Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — By removing incentives to profit from disasters, the bill aims to protect the integrity of emergency response and disaster management. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — The bill helps prevent market exploitation that could impact the management and safety of public lands during wildfires.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Rural residents, often on the front lines of wildfires, are protected from market-driven incentives that could exacerbate disaster impacts. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill helps protect vulnerable communities from the negative externalities of financial markets profiting from disasters. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill protects the stability of community resources and property values by preventing gambling on fire events.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates a federal review and report to ensure accountability in wildfire-related financial activities. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands federal oversight and investigative authority regarding wildfire event trading.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill protects consumers by prohibiting the gambling on destructive wildfire events and preventing exploitation of nonpublic information.
- 8/17/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House