House Passes Bill To Help Lower North Fork Fire Victims
DENVER (CBS4)- The Colorado state House passed a measure Wednesday morning that would give victims of the Lower North Fork Fire compensation for their losses.
House Bill 1352 creates The Lower North Fork Fire Commission which would be made up of four lawmakers, the executive director of the Department of Public Safety and the state treasurer. The commission would review the investigation of the wildfire, including its cause and financial impact.
The measure is sponsored by state Representatives Cheri Gerou and Bob Gardner. The bill passed on a vote of 44-20.
It heads to the state Senate where the sponsor Minority Leader Bill Cadman, a Republican representing Colorado Springs.
The bill develops a process for victims to request compensation from the state for certain losses not covered by insurance, prohibiting attorney's fees and payment for noneconomic damages.
The Colorado Governmental Immunity Act limits the state's liability to $150,000 per individual and $600,000 per incident
The wildfire in March killed three people and damaged two dozen houses. It caused at least $11 million in property damage.
