This bill proposes the creation of a new chapter in Title 49 of the North Dakota Century Code, focusing on strict liability and wildfire mitigation plans for qualified utilities. It defines key terms such as "qualified utility," "wildfire mitigation plan," and "hazardous vegetation." The bill establishes that courts cannot apply a strict liability standard to qualified utilities in cases alleging that they caused wildfire-related damages. It also outlines the requirements for a wildfire mitigation plan, which must include risk assessments, vegetation management procedures, facility upgrades, and community outreach efforts.

Additionally, the bill mandates that qualified utilities submit their wildfire mitigation plans to the appropriate regulatory bodies and publish them on their websites. These plans must be updated every three years, and utilities are required to submit annual reports detailing their compliance with the plans. The preparation and publication of these plans will serve as prima facie evidence that the utilities exercised a reasonable standard of care in wildfire prevention efforts.