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CS/HB 1-C — Disaster Relief
by Appropriations Committee and Rep. Shoaf and others (SB 2-C by Senator Simon)
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Fiscal Policy Committee (FP)
To mitigate the impacts of recent disasters affecting the state, the bill does the following:
- Provides that certain agricultural equipment that was unable to be used for 60 days due to Hurricane Idalia would be assessed at salvage value on the 2024 property tax roll.
- Grants refunds of sales tax paid on fencing materials used to repair or replace farm fences, on lands classified as agriculture, that were damaged due to Hurricane Idalia.
- Grants refunds of sales tax paid on building materials used to repair or replace nonresidential farm buildings damaged as a result of Hurricane Idalia.
- Grants refunds of motor fuel taxes used for agricultural shipments and debris removal after Hurricane Idalia.
- Funds applications current as of October 15 for the My Safe Florida Home Program and directs the Department of Financial Services to stop taking applications when available funding is exhausted.
- Authorizes the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) to enter into agreements with eligible local governments impacted by Hurricane Idalia to provide funds for the non-federal share of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement program.
- Authorizes the Department of Commerce to extend loans made under the Local Government Emergency Revolving Bridge Loan Program from 24 months to 5 years.
- Directs the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to use appropriated funds for the Hurricane Housing Recovery Program within eligible counties impacted by Hurricane Idalia and provides the activities for which funds may be used.
- Directs the DEM to provide grants and loans for hurricane repair and recovery projects within certain counties designated under the FEMA disaster declaration for Hurricane Idalia.
- Directs the Department of Transportation to fund transportation projects within certain counties designated under the FEMA disaster declaration for Hurricane Idalia.
- Extends the prohibition on burdensome or restrictive local building processes enacted in the 2023 session in response to Hurricanes Ian and Nicole to October 1, 2026, and specifies that such restrictions apply to certain counties and the municipalities therein.
- Directs the DEM to provide planning and design grants to fiscally constrained counties designated in the FEMA disaster declaration for Hurricane Idalia for new facilities for emergency operations.
- Authorizes the Department of Commerce to award grants under the Rural Infrastructure Fund to fiscally constrained counties impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
- Creates the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) to provide low interest or interest-free loans to agricultural producers that have experienced damage or destruction from a declared natural disaster.
- Authorizes the DACS to award cost sharing grants to assist timber landowners with site preparation and tree replanting in counties impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the bill appropriates:
- $176,170,000 in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Financial Services to provide mitigation grants under the My Florida Safe Home Program for applications submitted on or before October 15, 2023, and $5,280,100 in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund for administrative costs for implementation of the mitigation grants.
- $30 million in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund to the DEM to provide the required local share of matching funds for FEMA Public Assistance grants related to Hurricane Idalia.
- $25 million in nonrecurring funds from the Local Government Housing Trust Fund to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for hurricane recovery purposes related to Hurricane Idalia.
- $50 million in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund to the DEM to provide grants or loans for hurricane repair and recovery projects related to Hurricane Idalia.
- $10 million in nonrecurring funds from the State Transportation Trust Fund to the Department of Transportation for transportation projects under the Small County Outreach Program for projects related to related to Hurricane Idalia.
- $3 million in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund to the DEM to provide planning and design grants for new emergency operations facilities in fiscally constrained counties impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
- $5 million in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Commerce for the Rural Infrastructure Fund for projects in fiscally constrained counties impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
- $75 million in nonrecurring funds from the General Inspection Trust Fund within the DACS as fixed capital outlay for the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program after the sum is transferred from the General Revenue Fund into the General Inspection Trust Fund.
- $37.5 million in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund to the DACS as fixed capital outlay to administer a cost-sharing grant program to assist timber landowners in eligible counties impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
If approved by the Governor, or allowed to become law without the Governor's signature, these provisions take effect upon becoming law.
Vote: Senate 39-0; House 110-0