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CS/SB 7028 — My Safe Florida Home Program
by Fiscal Policy Committee and Banking and Insurance Committee
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Banking and Insurance Committee (BI)
The bill amends various provisions relating to the My Safe Florida Home Program to:
- Allow a subsequent application for a mitigation inspection or mitigation grant only under certain circumstances;
- Provide that an applicant meeting the requirements for a mitigation inspection may receive an inspection even if the applicant is not eligible for a mitigation grant or the applicant does not apply for such grant;
- Require the homeowner to agree to provide information received from the homeowner’s insurer identifying the premium discounts realized by the homeowner due to the mitigation improvements funded through the program;
- Provide that the Department of Financial Services (DFS) is not required to maintain a list of participating contractors, but rather, the homeowner must use a properly licensed contractor for the project and the DFS must verify that the contractor performing the work is licensed;
- Revise the list of grant eligible improvements to specify the inclusion of windows and skylights;
- Require the DFS to prioritize the review and approval of inspection applications and grant applications in the following order:
- First, applications from low-income homeowners who are at least 60 years old;
- Second, applications from all other low-income homeowners;
- Third, applications from moderate-income homeowners who are at least 60 years old;
- Fourth, applications from all other moderate-income homeowners; and
- Lastly, all other applications;
- Remove the provision authorizing matching grants to local governments and nonprofit entities;
- Remove the provision authorizing grants to a previously inspected existing structure or on a rebuild;
- Require homeowners to finalize construction and request a final inspection, or request an extension, within one year after grant approval;
- Authorize the DFS to request additional information from the applicant;
- Revise provisions regarding the distribution of the MSFH Program brochure which provides information on the benefits to homeowners of residential hurricane damage mitigation; and
- Reorganize and rephrase certain provisions within the statute to provide better clarity.
The bill appropriates, for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, $200 million in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund to the DFS to be used for hurricane mitigation grants, hurricane mitigation inspections, and outreach and administrative costs. The bill provides that the DFS may not continue to accept applications or create a waiting list in anticipation of additional funding unless the Legislature expressly provides authority to implement such actions.
If approved by the Governor, or allowed to become law without the Governor’s signature, these provisions take effect July 1, 2024.
Vote: Senate 40-0; House 115-0