HR 830 — Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2019

Summary

Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2019 This bill modifies coverage requirements under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The bill allows certain local variances from compliance with elevation and flood-proofing requirements for agricultural structures located in special flood hazard zones. The chargeable premium rate for coverage of a structure given a variance shall be the same as would otherwise apply if the structure had been dry floodproofed. The bill allows for alternative maps and risk-based rates for NFIP coverage in certain areas where levees fail to meet specified minimum standards.

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced in House Current html January 29, 2019

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill modifies the National Flood Insurance Act to allow for exceptions regarding the elevation requirements for agricultural structures in flood-prone areas.

• 42 U.S.C. 4022(a)

  (3) Allowable local variances for certain agricultural structures.--

  This adds a new provision allowing communities to grant variances for agricultural structures from elevation requirements.

• 42 U.S.C. 4022(a)

  (A) Requirement.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act-- (i) the land use and control measures adopted pursuant to paragraph (1) may not, for purposes of such paragraph, be considered to be inadequate or inconsistent with the comprehensive criteria for land management and use under section 1361 because such measures provide that, in the case of any agricultural structure that is located in an area having special flood hazards, a variance from compliance with the requirements to elevate or floodproof such a structure and meeting the requirements of subparagraph (B) may be granted;

  This allows land use measures to include variances for agricultural structures in flood hazard areas.

• 42 U.S.C. 4015

  (n) Premium Rates for Certain Agricultural Structures With Variances.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the chargeable premium rate for coverage under this title for any structure provided a variance pursuant to section 1315(a)(3) shall be the same as the rate that otherwise would apply to such structure if the structure had been dry floodproofed.

  Establishes that agricultural structures with variances will have the same insurance premiums as those that are dry floodproofed.

• 42 U.S.C. 4101

  (k) Levee-Impacted Areas.-- (1) In general.--Subject only to full implementation of subparagraphs (A)(iii) and (B) of section 100216(b)(1) of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C. 4101b(b)(1)) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a community that applies to the Administrator for the remapping of a levee-impacted area in which the pertinent levee system fails to meet the national flood insurance program's minimum design, operation, and maintenance standards required for levee accreditation on a flood insurance rate map-- (A) the Administrator shall establish flood risk zones for those areas on such maps to be known as AL zones; and (B) flood insurance shall be made available to properties located within such zones at actuarial rates based upon the risk associated with structures within the applicable AL zones.

  Creates a designation for levee-impacted areas and allows properties in those areas to receive flood insurance at actuarial rates.

Action History

1. January 29, 2019

   Introduced in House

2. January 29, 2019

   Introduced in House

3. January 29, 2019

   Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E102)

4. January 29, 2019

   Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Sponsors

• John Garamendi · Primary

Subjects