HB 0021B 2003
   
1 CHAMBER ACTION
2         
3         
4         
5         
6          The Committee on Finance & Tax recommends the following:
7         
8          Committee Substitute
9          Remove the entire bill and insert:
10 A bill to be entitled
11          An act relating to the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe
12    Fund; amending s. 215.555, F.S.; revising definitions;
13    including certain accounts, formerly certain
14    associations, within the Citizens Property Insurance
15    Corporation; including the Citizens Property Insurance
16    Corporation within the operation of certain definitions;
17    authorizing the State Board of Administration to charge
18    interest on delinquent remittances to the Florida
19    Hurricane Catastrophe Fund; expanding the insurers
20    eligible for exemptions from certain reimbursement
21    contract and premium provisions authorized by the board
22    under certain circumstances; revising a reimbursement
23    contract requirement; revising emergency assessment
24    authority of the board relating to service of certain
25    debt obligations; revising requirements, procedures, and
26    limitations; revising powers and duties of the board;
27    providing for construction of the act in pari materia
28    with laws enacted during the 2003 Regular Session or the
29    2003 Special Session A of the Legislature; providing an
30    effective date.
31         
32          Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
33         
34          Section 1. Paragraphs (c) and (k) of subsection (2),
35    subsection (3), paragraphs (c) and (d) of subsection (4),
36    subsection (6), and paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (7) of
37    section 215.555, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraphs
38    (n) and (o) are added to subsection (2) of said section, to
39    read:
40          215.555 Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.--
41          (2) DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section:
42          (c) "Covered policy" means any insurance policy covering
43    residential property in this state, including, but not limited
44    to, any homeowner's, mobile home owner's, farm owner's,
45    condominium association, condominium unit owner's, tenant's, or
46    apartment building policy, or any other policy covering a
47    residential structure or its contents issued by any authorized
48    insurer, including the Citizen’s Property Insurance Corporation
49    andany joint underwriting association or similar entity created
50    pursuant to law. The term "covered policy" includes any
51    collateral protection insurance policy covering personal
52    residences which protects both the borrower's and the lender's
53    financial interests, in an amount at least equal to the coverage
54    for the dwelling in place under the lapsed homeowner's policy,
55    if such policy can be accurately reported as required in
56    subsection (5). Additionally, covered policies include policies
57    covering the peril of wind removed from the Citizen’s Property
58    Insurance Corporationthe Florida Residential Property and
59    Casualty Joint Underwriting Association, created pursuant to s.
60    627.351(6), or from the Florida Windstorm Underwriting
61    Association, created pursuant to s. 627.351(2),by an authorized
62    insurer under the terms and conditions of an executed assumption
63    agreement between the authorized insurer and the Citizen’s
64    Property Insurance Corporationeither such association. Each
65    assumption agreement between the Citizen’s Property Insurance
66    Corporationeither associationand such authorized insurer must
67    be approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation within the
68    Florida Department of Financial ServicesInsuranceprior to the
69    effective date of the assumption, and the OfficeDepartmentof
70    Insurance Regulationmust provide written notification to the
71    board within 15 working days after such approval. "Covered
72    policy" does not include any policy that excludes wind coverage
73    or hurricane coverage or any reinsurance agreement and does not
74    include any policy otherwise meeting this definition which is
75    issued by a surplus lines insurer or a reinsurer. All commercial
76    residential excess policies and all deductible buy-back policies
77    that, based on sound actuarial principles, require individual
78    ratemaking shall be excluded by rule if the actuarial soundness
79    of the fund is not jeopardized. For this purpose, the term
80    “excess policy” means a policy that provides insurance
81    protection for large commercial property risks and that provides
82    a layer of coverage above a primary layer insured by another
83    insurer.
84          (k) "Pledged revenues" means all or any portion of
85    revenues to be derived from reimbursement premiums under
86    subsection (5) or from emergency assessments under paragraph
87    subparagraph (6)(b)(a)3., as determined by the board.
88          (n) “Citizens Property Insurance Corporation” or
89    “Citizens” means the entity created pursuant to s. 627.351(6),
90    and includes both the High Risk Account, formerly the Florida
91    Windstorm Underwriting Association, and the Personal Lines and
92    Commercial Lines Accounts, formerly the Florida Residential
93    Property and Casualty Joint Underwriting Association.
94          (o) “Corporation” means the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe
95    Fund Finance Corporation created in paragraph (6)(d).
96          (3) FLORIDA HURRICANE CATASTROPHE FUND CREATED.--There is
97    created the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to be
98    administered by the State Board of Administration. Moneys in the
99    fund may not be expended, loaned, or appropriated except to pay
100    obligations of the fund arising out of reimbursement contracts
101    entered into under subsection (4), payment of debt service on
102    revenue bonds issued under subsection (6), costs of the
103    mitigation program under subsection (7), costs of procuring
104    reinsurance, and costs of administration of the fund. The board
105    shall invest the moneys in the fund pursuant to ss. 215.44-
106    215.52. Except as otherwise provided in this section, earnings
107    from all investments shall be retained in the fund. The board
108    may employ or contract with such staff and professionals as the
109    board deems necessary for the administration of the fund. The
110    board may adopt such rules as are reasonable and necessary to
111    implement this section and shall specify interest due on any
112    delinquent remittances, which interest may not exceed the fund’s
113    rate of return plus 5 percent. Such rules must conform to the
114    Legislature's specific intent in establishing the fund as
115    expressed in subsection (1), must enhance the fund's potential
116    ability to respond to claims for covered events, must contain
117    general provisions so that the rules can be applied with
118    reasonable flexibility so as to accommodate insurers in
119    situations of an unusual nature or where undue hardship may
120    result, except that such flexibility may not in any way impair,
121    override, supersede, or constrain the public purpose of the
122    fund, and must be consistent with sound insurance practices. The
123    board may, by rule, provide for the exemption from subsections
124    (4) and (5) of insurers writing covered policies with less than
125    $3 million$500,000in aggregate exposure for covered policies,
126    which exposure results in a de minimis reimbursement premium, if
127    the exemption does not affect the actuarial soundness of the
128    fund.
129          (4) REIMBURSEMENT CONTRACTS.--
130          (c)1. The contract shall also provide that the obligation
131    of the board with respect to all contracts covering a particular
132    contract year shall not exceed the actual claims-paying capacity
133    of the fund up to a limit of $11 billion for that contract year
134    adjusted based upon the reported exposure from the prior
135    contract year to reflect the percentage growth in exposure to
136    the fund for covered policies since 2002, unless the board
137    determines that there is sufficient estimated claims-paying
138    capacity to provide $11 billion of capacity for the current
139    contract year and an additional $11 billion of capacity for
140    subsequent contract years. Upon such determination being made,
141    the estimated claims-paying capacity for the current contract
142    year shall be determined by adding to the $11 billion limit one-
143    half of the fund's estimated claims-paying capacity in excess of
144    $22 billion.
145          2. The contract shall require the board to annually notify
146    insurers of the fund's estimated borrowing capacity for the next
147    contract year, the projected year-end balance of the fund, and
148    the insurer's estimated share of total reimbursement premium to
149    be paid to the fund. For all regulatory and reinsurance
150    purposes, an insurer may calculate its projected payout from the
151    fund as its share of the total fund premium for the current
152    contract year multiplied by the sum of the projected year-end
153    fund balance and the estimated borrowing capacity for that
154    contract year as reported under this paragraph. In May and
155    October of each year, the board shall publish in the Florida
156    Administrative Weekly a statement of the fund's estimated
157    borrowing capacity and the projected year-end balance of the
158    fund for the current contract year.
159          (d)1. For purposes of determining potential liability and
160    to aid in the sound administration of the fund, the contract
161    shall require each insurer to report such insurer's losses from
162    each covered event on an interim basis, as directed by the
163    board. The contract shall require the insurer to report to the
164    board no later than December 31 of each year, and quarterly
165    thereafter, its reimbursable losses from covered events for the
166    year. The contract shall require the board to determine and pay,
167    as soon as practicable after receiving these reports of
168    reimbursable losses, the initial amount of reimbursement due and
169    adjustments to this amount based on later loss information. The
170    adjustments to reimbursement amounts shall require the board to
171    pay, or the insurer to return, amounts reflecting the most
172    recent calculation of losses.
173          2. In determining reimbursements pursuant to this
174    subsection, the contract shall provide that the board shall:
175          a. First reimburse insurers writing covered policies,
176    which insurers are in full compliance with this section and have
177    petitioned the Office ofDepartment of Insurance Regulationand
178    qualified as limited apportionment companies under s.
179    627.351(2)(b)3. The amount of such reimbursement shall be the
180    lesser of $10 million or an amount equal to 10 times the
181    insurer's reimbursement premium for the current year. The amount
182    of reimbursement paid under this sub-subparagraph may not exceed
183    the full amount of reimbursement promised in the reimbursement
184    contract. This sub-subparagraph does not apply with respect to
185    any contract year in which the year-end projected cash balance
186    of the fund, exclusive of any bonding capacity of the fund,
187    exceeds $2 billion. Only one member of any insurer group may
188    receive reimbursement under this sub-subparagraph.
189          b. Next pay to each insurer such insurer's projected
190    payout, which is the amount of reimbursement it is owed, up to
191    an amount equal to the insurer's share of the actual premium
192    paid for that contract year, multiplied by the actual claims-
193    paying capacity available for that contract year; provided,
194    entities created pursuant to s. 627.351 shall be further
195    reimbursed in accordance with sub-subparagraph c.
196          c. Thereafter, establish, based on reimbursable losses,
197    the prorated reimbursement level at the highest level for which
198    any remaining fund balance or bond proceeds are sufficient to
199    reimburse entities created pursuant to s. 627.351 for losses
200    exceeding the amounts payable pursuant to sub-subparagraph b.
201    for the current contract year.
202          (6) REVENUE BONDS.--
203          (a) General provisions.--
204          1. Upon the occurrence of a hurricane and a determination
205    that the moneys in the fund are or will be insufficient to pay
206    reimbursement at the levels promised in the reimbursement
207    contracts, the board may take the necessary steps under
208    paragraph (c)(b) or paragraph (d)(c)for the issuance of
209    revenue bonds for the benefit of the fund. The proceeds of such
210    revenue bonds may be used to make reimbursement payments under
211    reimbursement contracts; to refinance or replace previously
212    existing borrowings or financial arrangements; to pay interest
213    on bonds; to fund reserves for the bonds; to pay expenses
214    incident to the issuance or sale of any bond issued under this
215    section, including costs of validating, printing, and delivering
216    the bonds, costs of printing the official statement, costs of
217    publishing notices of sale of the bonds, and related
218    administrative expenses; or for such other purposes related to
219    the financial obligations of the fund as the board may
220    determine. The term of the bonds may not exceed 30 years. The
221    board may pledge or authorize the corporation to pledge all or a
222    portion of all revenues under subsection (5) and under paragraph
223    (b)subparagraph 3.to secure such revenue bonds and the board
224    may execute such agreements between the board and the issuer of
225    any revenue bonds and providers of other financing arrangements
226    under paragraph (7)(b) as the board deems necessary to evidence,
227    secure, preserve, and protect such pledge. If reimbursement
228    premiums received under subsection (5) or earnings on such
229    premiums are used to pay debt service on revenue bonds, such
230    premiums and earnings shall be used only after the use of the
231    moneys derived from assessments under paragraph (b)subparagraph
232    3. The funds, credit, property, or taxing power of the state or
233    political subdivisions of the state shall not be pledged for the
234    payment of such bonds. The board may also enter into agreements
235    under paragraph (c)(b) or paragraph (d)(c)for the purpose of
236    issuing revenue bonds in the absence of a hurricane upon a
237    determination that such action would maximize the ability of the
238    fund to meet future obligations.
239          2. The Legislature finds and declares that the issuance of
240    bonds under this subsection is for the public purpose of paying
241    the proceeds of the bonds to insurers, thereby enabling insurers
242    to pay the claims of policyholders to assure that policyholders
243    are able to pay the cost of construction, reconstruction,
244    repair, restoration, and other costs associated with damage to
245    property of policyholders of covered policies after the
246    occurrence of a hurricane. Revenue bonds may not be issued under
247    this subsection until validated under chapter 75. The validation
248    of at least the first obligations incurred pursuant to this
249    subsection shall be appealed to the Supreme Court, to be handled
250    on an expedited basis.
251          (b)3.Emergency assessments.--If the board determines that
252    the amount of revenue produced under subsection (5) is
253    insufficient to fund the obligations, costs, and expenses of the
254    fund and the corporation, including repayment of revenue bonds,
255    the board shall direct the OfficeDepartment of Insurance
256    Regulationto levy an emergency assessment on each insurer
257    writing property and casualty business in this state.
258          1. Pursuant to the emergency assessment, each such
259    assessableinsurer shall pay to the corporation by July 1 of
260    each year an amount set by the board not exceeding 32percent
261    of its gross direct written premium for the prior year from all
262    property and casualty business in this state except for workers'
263    compensation, except that, if the Governor has declared a state
264    of emergency under s. 252.36 due to the occurrence of a covered
265    event, the amount of the assessment for the contract year may be
266    increased to an amount not exceeding 54percent of such
267    premium.
268          2.Any assessment authority not used for the contract year
269    may be used for a subsequent contract year. If, for a subsequent
270    contract year, the board determines that the amount of revenue
271    produced under subsection (5) is insufficient to fund the
272    obligations, costs, and expenses of the fund and the
273    corporation, including repayment of revenue bonds for that
274    contract year, the board shall direct the OfficeDepartmentof
275    Insurance Regulationto levy an emergency assessment up to an
276    amount not exceeding the amount of unused assessment authority
277    from a previous contract year or years, plus an additional 32
278    percent if the Governor has declared a state of emergency under
279    s. 252.36 due to the occurrence of a covered event. Any
280    assessment authority not used for the contract year may be used
281    for a subsequent contract year. As used in this subsection, the
282    term "property and casualty business" includes all lines of
283    business identified on Form 2, Exhibit of Premiums and Losses,
284    in the annual statement required of authorized insurersby s.
285    624.424 and any rules adopted under such section, except for
286    those lines identified as accident and health insurance. The
287    annual assessments under this subparagraph shall continue as
288    long as the revenue bonds issued with respect to which the
289    assessment was imposed are outstanding, unless adequate
290    provision has been made for the payment of such bonds pursuant
291    to the documents authorizing issuance of the bonds. An
292    assessableinsurer shall not at any time be subject to aggregate
293    annual assessments under this subparagraph of more than 32
294    percent of premium, except that in the case of a declared
295    emergency, an assessableinsurer shall not at any time be
296    subject to aggregate annual assessments under this subparagraph
297    of more than 86 percent of premium; provided, no more than 54
298    percent may be assessed for obligations arising due to losses in
299    any one contract year.
300          3.Any rate filing or portion of a rate filing reflecting
301    a rate change attributable entirely to the assessment levied
302    under this paragraphsubparagraphshall be deemed approved when
303    made, subject to the authority of the OfficeDepartmentof
304    Insurance Regulationto require actuarial justification as to
305    the adequacy of any rate at any time. If the rate filing
306    reflects only a rate change attributable to the assessment under
307    this paragraph, the filing may consist of a certification so
308    stating.
309          4.The assessments otherwise payable to the corporation
310    pursuant to this paragraphsubparagraphshall be paid instead to
311    the fund unless and until the OfficeDepartment of Insurance
312    Regulationhas received from the corporation and the fund a
313    notice, which shall be conclusive and upon which theythe
314    Department of Insurancemay rely without further inquiry, that
315    the corporation has issued bonds and the fund has no agreements
316    in effect with local governments pursuant to paragraph (c)(b).
317    On or after the date of such notice and until such date as the
318    corporation has no bonds outstanding, the fund shall have no
319    right, title, or interest in or to the assessments, except as
320    provided in the fund's agreements with the corporation.
321          5. Emergency assessments are not premium and are not
322    subject to premium or surplus lines tax, fees, or commissions,
323    however, the failure by an assessable insured to pay an
324    emergency assessment shall be treated as a failure to pay
325    premium.
326          (c)(b)Revenue bond issuance through counties or
327    municipalities.--
328          1. If the board elects to enter into agreements with local
329    governments for the issuance of revenue bonds for the benefit of
330    the fund, the board shall enter into such contracts with one or
331    more local governments, including agreements providing for the
332    pledge of revenues, as are necessary to effect such issuance.
333    The governing body of a county or municipality is authorized to
334    issue bonds as defined in s. 125.013 or s. 166.101 from time to
335    time to fund an assistance program, in conjunction with the
336    Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, for the purposes set forth
337    in this section or for the purpose of paying the costs of
338    construction, reconstruction, repair, restoration, and other
339    costs associated with damage to properties of policyholders of
340    covered policies due to the occurrence of a hurricane by
341    assuring that policyholders located in this state are able to
342    recover claims under property insurance policies after a covered
343    event.
344          2. In order to avoid needless and indiscriminate
345    proliferation, duplication, and fragmentation of such assistance
346    programs, any local government may provide for the payment of
347    fund reimbursements, regardless of whether or not the losses for
348    which reimbursement is made occurred within or outside of the
349    territorial jurisdiction of the local government.
350          3. The state hereby covenants with holders of bonds issued
351    under this paragraph that the state will not repeal or abrogate
352    the power of the board to direct the OfficeDepartmentof
353    Insurance Regulationto levy the assessments and to collect the
354    proceeds of the revenues pledged to the payment of such bonds as
355    long as any such bonds remain outstanding unless adequate
356    provision has been made for the payment of such bonds pursuant
357    to the documents authorizing the issuance of such bonds.
358          4. There shall be no liability on the part of, and no
359    cause of action shall arise against any members or employees of
360    the governing body of a local government for any actions taken
361    by them in the performance of their duties under this paragraph.
362          (d)(c)Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Finance
363    Corporation.--
364          1. In addition to the findings and declarations in
365    subsection (1), the Legislature also finds and declares that:
366          a. The public benefits corporation created under this
367    paragraph will provide a mechanism necessary for the cost-
368    effective and efficient issuance of bonds. This mechanism will
369    eliminate unnecessary costs in the bond issuance process,
370    thereby increasing the amounts available to pay reimbursement
371    for losses to property sustained as a result of hurricane
372    damage.
373          b. The purpose of such bonds is to fund reimbursements
374    through the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to pay for the
375    costs of construction, reconstruction, repair, restoration, and
376    other costs associated with damage to properties of
377    policyholders of covered policies due to the occurrence of a
378    hurricane.
379          c. The efficacy of the financing mechanism will be
380    enhanced by the corporation's ownership of the assessments, by
381    the insulation of the assessments from possible bankruptcy
382    proceedings, and by covenants of the state with the
383    corporation's bondholders.
384          2.a. There is created a public benefits corporation, which
385    is an instrumentality of the state, to be known as the Florida
386    Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Finance Corporation.
387          b. The corporation shall operate under a five-member board
388    of directors consisting of the Governor or a designee, the
389    Comptroller or a designee, the Treasurer or a designee, the
390    director of the Division of Bond Finance of the State Board of
391    Administration, and the chief operating officer of the Florida
392    Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.
393          c. The corporation has all of the powers of corporations
394    under chapter 607 and under chapter 617, subject only to the
395    provisions of this subsection.
396          d. The corporation may issue bonds and engage in such
397    other financial transactions as are necessary to provide
398    sufficient funds to achieve the purposes of this section.
399          e. The corporation may invest in any of the investments
400    authorized under s. 215.47.
401          f. There shall be no liability on the part of, and no
402    cause of action shall arise against, any board members or
403    employees of the corporation for any actions taken by them in
404    the performance of their duties under this paragraph.
405          3.a. In actions under chapter 75 to validate any bonds
406    issued by the corporation, the notice required by s. 75.06 shall
407    be published only in Leon County and in two newspapers of
408    general circulation in the state, and the complaint and order of
409    the court shall be served only on the State Attorney of the
410    Second Judicial Circuit.
411          b. The state hereby covenants with holders of bonds of the
412    corporation that the state will not repeal or abrogate the power
413    of the board to direct the OfficeDepartment of Insurance
414    Regulationto levy the assessments and to collect the proceeds
415    of the revenues pledged to the payment of such bonds as long as
416    any such bonds remain outstanding unless adequate provision has
417    been made for the payment of such bonds pursuant to the
418    documents authorizing the issuance of such bonds.
419          4. The bonds of the corporation are not a debt of the
420    state or of any political subdivision, and neither the state nor
421    any political subdivision is liable on such bonds. The
422    corporation does not have the power to pledge the credit, the
423    revenues, or the taxing power of the state or of any political
424    subdivision. The credit, revenues, or taxing power of the state
425    or of any political subdivision shall not be deemed to be
426    pledged to the payment of any bonds of the corporation.
427          5.a. The property, revenues, and other assets of the
428    corporation; the transactions and operations of the corporation
429    and the income from such transactions and operations; and all
430    bonds issued under this paragraph and interest on such bonds are
431    exempt from taxation by the state and any political subdivision,
432    including the intangibles tax under chapter 199 and the income
433    tax under chapter 220. This exemption does not apply to any tax
434    imposed by chapter 220 on interest, income, or profits on debt
435    obligations owned by corporations other than the Florida
436    Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Finance Corporation.
437          b. All bonds of the corporation shall be and constitute
438    legal investments without limitation for all public bodies of
439    this state; for all banks, trust companies, savings banks,
440    savings associations, savings and loan associations, and
441    investment companies; for all administrators, executors,
442    trustees, and other fiduciaries; for all insurance companies and
443    associations and other persons carrying on an insurance
444    business; and for all other persons who are now or may hereafter
445    be authorized to invest in bonds or other obligations of the
446    state and shall be and constitute eligible securities to be
447    deposited as collateral for the security of any state, county,
448    municipal, or other public funds. This sub-subparagraph shall be
449    considered as additional and supplemental authority and shall
450    not be limited without specific reference to this sub-
451    subparagraph.
452          6. The corporation and its corporate existence shall
453    continue until terminated by law; however, no such law shall
454    take effect as long as the corporation has bonds outstanding
455    unless adequate provision has been made for the payment of such
456    bonds pursuant to the documents authorizing the issuance of such
457    bonds. Upon termination of the existence of the corporation, all
458    of its rights and properties in excess of its obligations shall
459    pass to and be vested in the state.
460          (e)(d)Protection of bondholders.--
461          1. As long as the corporation has any bonds outstanding,
462    neither the fund nor the corporation shall have the authority to
463    file a voluntary petition under chapter 9 of the federal
464    Bankruptcy Code or such corresponding chapter or sections as may
465    be in effect, from time to time, and neither any public officer
466    nor any organization, entity, or other person shall authorize
467    the fund or the corporation to be or become a debtor under
468    chapter 9 of the federal Bankruptcy Code or such corresponding
469    chapter or sections as may be in effect, from time to time,
470    during any such period.
471          2. The state hereby covenants with holders of bonds of the
472    corporation that the state will not limit or alter the denial of
473    authority under this paragraph or the rights under this section
474    vested in the fund or the corporation to fulfill the terms of
475    any agreements made with such bondholders or in any way impair
476    the rights and remedies of such bondholders as long as any such
477    bonds remain outstanding unless adequate provision has been made
478    for the payment of such bonds pursuant to the documents
479    authorizing the issuance of such bonds.
480          3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any pledge
481    of or other security interest in revenue, money, accounts,
482    contract rights, general intangibles, or other personal property
483    made or created by the fund or the corporation shall be valid,
484    binding, and perfected from the time such pledge is made or
485    other security interest attaches without any physical delivery
486    of the collateral or further act and the lien of any such pledge
487    or other security interest shall be valid, binding, and
488    perfected against all parties having claims of any kind in tort,
489    contract, or otherwise against the fund or the corporation
490    irrespective of whether or not such parties have notice of such
491    claims. No instrument by which such a pledge or security
492    interest is created nor any financing statement need be recorded
493    or filed.
494          (7) ADDITIONAL POWERS AND DUTIES.--
495          (a) The board may procure reinsurance from reinsurers
496    acceptable to the Office of Insurance Regulationapproved under
497    s. 624.610for the purpose of maximizing the capacity of the
498    fund.
499          (c) Each fiscal year, the Legislature shall appropriate
500    from the investment income of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe
501    Fund an amount no less than $10 million and no more than 35
502    percent of the investment income based upon the most recent
503    fiscal year-end audited financial statementsfrom the prior
504    fiscal yearfor the purpose of providing funding for local
505    governments, state agencies, public and private educational
506    institutions, and nonprofit organizations to support programs
507    intended to improve hurricane preparedness, reduce potential
508    losses in the event of a hurricane, provide research into means
509    to reduce such losses, educate or inform the public as to means
510    to reduce hurricane losses, assist the public in determining the
511    appropriateness of particular upgrades to structures or in the
512    financing of such upgrades, or protect local infrastructure from
513    potential damage from a hurricane. Moneys shall first be
514    available for appropriation under this paragraph in fiscal year
515    1997-1998. Moneys in excess of the $10 million specified in this
516    paragraph shall not be available for appropriation under this
517    paragraph if the State Board of Administration finds that an
518    appropriation of investment income from the fund would
519    jeopardize the actuarial soundness of the fund.
520          Section 2. If any law amended by this act was also amended
521    by a law enacted at the 2003 Regular Session of the Legislature
522    or at the 2003 Special Session A of the Legislature, such laws
523    shall be construed as if they had been enacted at the same
524    session of the Legislature, and full effect shall be given to
525    each if possible.
526          Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.