Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 168
       
       
        
       By Senator Hooper
       
       
       
       
       
       16-00360-21                                            2021168__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Hurricane Loss Mitigation
    3         Program; amending s. 215.559, F.S.; correcting a
    4         cross-reference; delaying the future repeal of the
    5         Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program; providing an
    6         effective date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and subsection
   11  (7) of section 215.559, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   12         215.559 Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program.—A Hurricane Loss
   13  Mitigation Program is established in the Division of Emergency
   14  Management.
   15         (2)
   16         (b)1. The Manufactured Housing and Mobile Home Mitigation
   17  and Enhancement Program is established. The program shall
   18  require the mitigation of damage to or the enhancement of homes
   19  for the areas of concern raised by the Department of Highway
   20  Safety and Motor Vehicles in the 2004-2005 Hurricane Reports on
   21  the effects of the 2004 and 2005 hurricanes on manufactured and
   22  mobile homes in this state. The mitigation or enhancement must
   23  include, but need not be limited to, problems associated with
   24  weakened trusses, studs, and other structural components caused
   25  by wood rot or termite damage; site-built additions; or tie-down
   26  systems and may also address any other issues deemed appropriate
   27  by Tallahassee Community College, the Federation of Manufactured
   28  Home Owners of Florida, Inc., the Florida Manufactured Housing
   29  Association, and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
   30  Vehicles. The program shall include an education and outreach
   31  component to ensure that owners of manufactured and mobile homes
   32  are aware of the benefits of participation.
   33         2. The program shall be a grant program that ensures that
   34  entire manufactured home communities and mobile home parks may
   35  be improved wherever practicable. The moneys appropriated for
   36  this program shall be distributed directly to Tallahassee
   37  Community College for the uses set forth under this subsection.
   38         3. Upon evidence of completion of the program, the Citizens
   39  Property Insurance Corporation shall grant, on a pro rata basis,
   40  actuarially reasonable discounts, credits, or other rate
   41  differentials or appropriate reductions in deductibles for the
   42  properties of owners of manufactured homes or mobile homes on
   43  which fixtures or construction techniques that have been
   44  demonstrated to reduce the amount of loss in a windstorm have
   45  been installed or implemented. The discount on the premium must
   46  be applied to subsequent renewal premium amounts. Premiums of
   47  the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation must reflect the
   48  location of the home and the fact that the home has been
   49  installed in compliance with building codes adopted after
   50  Hurricane Andrew. Rates resulting from the completion of the
   51  Manufactured Housing and Mobile Home Mitigation and Enhancement
   52  Program are not considered competitive rates for the purposes of
   53  s. 627.351(2)(b)5.b. s. 627.351(6)(d)1. and 2.
   54         4. On or before January 1 of each year, Tallahassee
   55  Community College shall provide a report of activities under
   56  this subsection to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
   57  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must
   58  set forth the number of homes that have taken advantage of the
   59  program, the types of enhancements and improvements made to the
   60  manufactured or mobile homes and attachments to such homes, and
   61  whether there has been an increase in availability of insurance
   62  products to owners of manufactured or mobile homes.
   63  
   64  Tallahassee Community College shall develop the programs set
   65  forth in this subsection in consultation with the Federation of
   66  Manufactured Home Owners of Florida, Inc., the Florida
   67  Manufactured Housing Association, and the Department of Highway
   68  Safety and Motor Vehicles. The moneys appropriated for the
   69  programs set forth in this subsection shall be distributed
   70  directly to Tallahassee Community College to be used as set
   71  forth in this subsection.
   72         (7) This section is repealed June 30, 2031 2021.
   73         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.