State Policy Advances in Extreme Weather Preparedness

September 08, 2025 | Maggie Nilz

Extreme weather events are increasing in both frequency and severity — challenging public health systems, straining infrastructure, and risking lives. As states face rising temperatures, more intense wildfires, historic flooding, and stronger hurricanes, state legislatures are adopting forward-looking policies to improve preparedness. These policies aim to boost community resilience, protect public health, and modernize emergency responses across the country. They reflect a move toward proactive planning and investment, grounded in innovation and cross-sector collaboration.

Strengthening Critical Infrastructure

A growing area of legislative focus is pre-disaster planning and infrastructure resilience, with jurisdictions considering policies that proactively strengthen critical systems (e.g., infrastructure, energy, and communications).

For example, in Maine, LD 1 creates the Office of Resilience, tasked with coordinating and implementing state policies to improve resistance to extreme weather events. It also increases homeowners’ access to home resiliency grants, establishes a revolving loan fund for county, municipal, and tribal hazard mitigation infrastructure projects, and invests in floodplain mapping improvements. Texas SB 75 establishes a Grid Security Commission, directs an evaluation of hazards to the state’s electric grid, and makes recommendations that ensure municipalities have energy, power, and fuel supplies in the event of a catastrophic power outage. Jurisdictions are also considering legislation that would:

• Amend procedures for cities and counties to finance post-disaster infrastructure repair and long-term climate adaptation projects (California SB 782).
• Require biennial emergency preparedness exercises as well as conduct disaster preparedness training in vulnerable areas (California AB 1200).
• Create a real-time, interoperable emergency communication platform to improve coordination across agencies during disasters (Texas HB 147).

Addressing Wildfire Risk and Air Quality

Jurisdictions are also paying close attention to growing wildfire threats and subsequent poor air quality. They’re moving beyond emergency response, ensuring systems/personnel are in place before a crisis unfolds and advancing wildfire mitigation strategies.

Systems and Personnel

Hawaii recently enacted HB 1064, establishing an Office of the State Fire Marshal. The office is tasked with increasing the state’s readiness for wildfires, including exploring opportunities to reduce wildfire risk and developing a statewide map that displays wildfire hazard zones. California is considering AB 1003, which would require the Department of Public Health to complete a plan that includes recommendations for counties during a significant air quality event by June 30, 2026. California is considering AB 1003, which would require the Department of Public Health to complete a plan that includes recommendations for counties during a significant air quality event by June 30, 2026. It would also require these plans to incorporate county-specific outreach, stakeholder communication, and implementation. These measures build critical infrastructure for training, staffing, and coordinated response.

Mitigation Strategies

California (SB 326) introduced policies that accelerate the implementation of ember-resistant zones, enhance risk modeling, and support local governments through grant funding for fire reduction efforts. New legislation (CA SB 629) also updates the state’s fire hazard severity maps and sets new criteria for safety zones, including annual defensible space inspections to help residents manage fuel loads around their homes.

In Colorado, recently enacted laws support increased use of prescribed burns to improve forest health (SB 7) and empower local fire protection jurisdictions to mandate vegetation removal from private properties (HB 1009). Oregon enacted SB 85, which requires the State Fire Marshal to develop recommendations for community-based wildfire mitigation and submit them to the legislature by February 2, 2026. Two bills being considered in California would:

• Require the creation of a framework for wildfire mitigation and a wildfire risk forecast (SB 326).
• Update the state’s fire hazard severity maps and set new criteria for safety zones, including annual defensible space inspections to help residents manage fuel loads around their homes (SB 629).

Together, these policies signal a shift from reactive firefighting to community-level risk reduction and long-term adaptation.

Improving Flooding and Hurricane Preparedness

Flooding, hurricanes, and coastal erosion remain central concerns for many states, particularly those already experiencing repeat disaster declarations. As flooding and coastal threats intensify, states are taking multi-pronged approaches to preparedness — investing in early warning systems, expanding access to mitigation funding, and examining the readiness of critical facilities. These policies can assist states in both major non-hurricane flood events and hurricane preparedness and response.

Several states are working to improve community-level preparedness and emergency alert systems. Vermont recently enacted H 397, which expands the Governor’s authority in the anticipation of a flood event, increases municipal access to weather alert systems, and expands access to disaster recovery grants. Texas recently introduced HB 108, which requires the Division of Emergency Management to develop a flood preparedness guide for local organizations that includes structured guidance around training, communication, and post-disaster recovery.

Alongside these efforts, states are strengthening long-term mitigation strategies through grant and buyout programs. Massachusetts (H 980) and New Jersey (A 5226) are considering legislation that would establish funding programs for municipalities to address flooding (i.e., through risk assessments and mitigation measures). In Virginia, recently enacted HB 2077 expands eligibility for the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund to include federally and state-recognized tribes.

Employing Innovation and Research

Innovation continues to shape the next frontier of preparedness policy as jurisdictions pilot emerging technologies, promote cross-sector collaboration, and rethink how they can adapt infrastructure for a changing climate. In California, legislators are considering three bills that merge cutting-edge science with emergency responses:

• AB 270 directs the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to assess whether autonomous firefighting helicopters could be transitioned to operational use in the state.
• SB 599 proposes improvements to atmospheric river forecasting, a key strategy in flood management.
• SB 223 would establish a centralized wildfire smoke and health data platform within the Department of Public Health to better inform public health decisions during smoke events.

Additionally, jurisdictions are addressing the resilience of the built environment, balancing traditional engineering with nature-based approaches. Mississippi enacted HB 959, extending a program focused on wind hazard mitigation and grants to retrofit homes to July 2028. Additionally, Puerto Rico introduced PS 579 (en español), which establishes the use of natural mitigation structures (e.g., sand deposits and coral planting) as the first alternative to protect infrastructure affected by coastal erosion, flooding, or other events.

In Conclusion

The scale of today’s public health challenges requires long-term planning, robust infrastructure, and coordination across different sectors and levels of government. Investments in real-time data systems, interoperable communication, and resilient financing tools will be essential.

This Preparedness Month, the increasing momentum behind jurisdiction-level policy action shows a clear understanding: Preparedness is public health. And by focusing on resilience, jurisdictions are not only preparing for the next emergency — they are actively creating a healthier, safer, and more climate-resilient future. ASTHO will continue to monitor and provide updates on extreme weather preparedness legislation.