Recent Legislation about Florida Hurricane Retrofitting

CS/SB 2-D — Property Insurance
by Appropriations Committee and Senator Boyd

The Florida 2022 legislation about Property Insurance and Homeowner grants for hurricane retrofitting

The Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders program authorizes a $2 billion dollar reimbursement layer of reinsurance for hurricane losses directly below the mandatory layer of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (FHCF). The FHCF mandatory retention is $8.5 billion for the 2022-2023 contract year.

 

Effective July 1, 2022, the bill appropriates $150 million from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Financial Services’ My Safe Florida Home Program to provide :

  • hurricane mitigation inspections
  • matching grants for the performance of hurricane retrofitting on homestead single family homes with a value of $500,000 or less located in the wind-borne debris region set forth in the Florida Building Code.
  • The My Safe Florida Home Program, which is administered by the Department of Financial Services, will provide financial incentives for Florida residential property owners to obtain free home inspections that would identify mitigation measures and also provide grants to retrofit such properties, thereby reducing their vulnerability to hurricane damage and helping decrease the cost of residential property insurance.

The bill revises the eligibility criteria for receiving program grants. It:

  • Requires that a homeowner who receives a mitigation grant agree to make his or her home available for inspection after the mitigation project is completed.
  • Requires that a building permit for initial construction of the home must have been made before January 1, 2008.
  • Requires the home to have undergone an acceptable hurricane mitigation inspection after July 1, 2008.
  • Grants awarded under the program provide $2 in grant funds for every $1 provided by the homeowner.
  • Exceptions are provided for low-income homeowners.
  • Applicants may receive up to $10,000 in program money.

The Department of Financial Services must include in the annual report of program activities the average annual amount of insurance premium discounts and the total of such discounts received from insurers.

The bill allocates appropriated funds as follows:

  • $25 million for hurricane mitigation inspections.
  • $115 million for hurricane mitigation grants.
  • $4 million for education and consumer awareness.
  • $1 million for public outreach to contractors, real estate brokers, and sales associates.
  • $5 million for administrative costs.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2022D/html/2874

Broward County Provides COVID At-Home Test Kits at Libraries Starting Thursday

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/broward-county-to-provide-covid-at-home-test-kits-at-nine-libraries-starting-thursday/2651026/?break=nbc6139&_osource=newltr_station_Hdlines_wtvj

Residents who wish to participate must show proof of Broward County residency and are limited to two kits per household.
Test kits will not be distributed inside the libraries.

The locations include:

  • African American Research Library & Cultural Center, Fort Lauderdale
  • Hollywood Branch, 2600 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood
  • Miramar Branch Library & Education Center, 2050 Civic Center Place, Miramar
  • North Regional/Broward College Library, 1100 Coconut Creek Boulevard, Coconut Creek
  • Northwest Branch Library, 1580 NW 3rd Avenue, Pompano Beach
  • Northwest Regional Library, 3151 N University Drive, Coral Springs
  • Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan Street, Pembroke Pines
  • Sunrise Dan Pearl Branch, 10500 W Oakland Park Boulevard, Sunrise
  • West Regional Library, 8601 W Broward Boulevard, Plantation

Miami Int’l Airport Using Tech Aimed at Stopping Drones

Miami Int’l Airport Using Tech Aimed at Stopping Drones From Coming Near Flights

Thursday, the TSA announced that Miami International Airport will be the only airport in the country testing technology to locate drones if there near airports – and find who is at the controls.

Read more:
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/miami-intl-airport-begins-using-tech-aimed-at-stopping-drones-from-coming-near-flights/2445827/

Bill To Expand Police Use Of Drones

A bill to allow law enforcement to use drones for collecting evidence at crime scenes and traffic crashes passed its second committee stop today. It would also open the door for police to manage traffic with drones. But officers could not use any images or video collected from the device to give out a traffic ticket.

Read more:
https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2021-02-16/bill-to-expand-police-use-of-drones-passes-its-second-committee-stop

Check The Status Of Your Mail-in Ballot

Any voter who has requested a vote-by-mail ballot can track online the status of his or her ballot through a link within the Division of Elections’ Voter Information Lookup.
https://registration.elections.myflorida.com/CheckVoterStatus

Or directly at your county Supervisor of Elections website.

View the Broward Flood Zone Maps

Residents and businesses in Broward County are encouraged to view the current flood zones map and FEMA’s preliminary flood zones map to better understand their potential flood risk and to help identify steps they may need to take to protect against property damage and loss.

The maps are used by insurance companies for flood insurance purposes and the base flood elevations must be used for all new construction and substantial improvements to existing construction.

https://www.broward.org/Environment/FloodZoneMaps/Pages/ProposedNewFloodMaps.aspx

Everglades National Park is Reopening in Phases

Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park,  FL

News Release Date: May 1, 2020

Contact: Visitor Information, 305-242-7700
Contact: Media: Allyson Gantt, 786-610-8023

Homestead, Fla. – Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Everglades National Park is increasing recreational access. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service wide with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.

Beginning May 4, Everglades National Park will reopen access to:

  • Main Park Road from the Homestead entrance to Flamingo (note exceptions below)
  • External restrooms at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
  • Flamingo Marina and boat launch ramps
  • Flamingo Marina Store, restrooms, and gas pumps
  • Flamingo Fish Cleaning Station and restroom
  • Chekika Day Use Area (roads and surrounding areas only)

In addition, entry fees are waived, and the following spaces continue to be available:

  • Marine waters of Everglades National Park
  • Beach campsites in wilderness

With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:

  • Royal Palm area including the Anhinga Trail
  • Long Pine Key area and campground
  • West Lake area
  • Flamingo campground
  • All visitor centers and public buildings
  • Concession tours and boat rentals
  • All other park restrooms
  • Other park locations such as Shark Valley and Gulf Coast

For more information visit:
https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/news/everglades-national-park-is-reopening-in-phases.htm