Amendment ID: S2591-40-R1

Redraft Amendment 40

Flood Insurance Commission

Messrs. O'Connor and Tarr move that the proposed new text be amended by inserting at the end the following new section:-

SECTION XX. Notwithstanding any special or general law there shall be a special commission to scope a state grant or low-interest loan program for structural elevation or acquisition of properties prone to flooding in the Commonwealth. Components of consideration for the structure of the program shall include (i) funding sources, (ii) eligible expenses, (iii) applicant eligibility, (iv) the establishment of a cost-benefit analysis in determining applicant eligibility, and (v) program expenditures and pay outs.

The special commission shall consist of: the chair of the state board of building regulation and standards, or their designee;  a contractor with experience in home elevations, to be appointed by the director of the Massachusetts emergency management agency; the acting state hazard mitigation officer of the state hazard mitigation team; the acting hazard mitigation grants supervisor of the state hazard mitigation team; a licensed lender with knowledge in flood insurance, 203K home loan lending, and traditional loans used for mitigation activities, to be appointed by the acting state hazard mitigation officer of the state hazard mitigation team; an insurance agent with knowledge in flood insurance and experience in guiding and consulting for mitigation activities, to be appointed by the director of the Massachusetts emergency management agency; a representative from a statewide environmental group, to be appointed by the Governor; a representative from the executive office of public safety and security with knowledge of the federal hazard mitigation grant program and experience with mitigation activities, to be appointed by the Governor; two members of the House of Representatives, one of whom to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the other to be appointed by the minority leader; two members of the Senate, one of whom to be appointed by the President of the Senate, and the other to be appointed by the minority leader; provided, however, that the first meeting of the commission shall take place no later than December 1, 2018.

The special commission shall submit its preliminary draft of any recommendations or legislation to the clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate and the chairs of the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture not later than December 1, 2019. The special commission shall submit its final draft of the program scope together with any additional recommendations or drafts of legislation to the clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate and the chairs of the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture not later than December 1, 2020.