,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #iif ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ba1 #bjac ,ms4 ,landrieu introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to improve the ,national ,flood ,insurance ,program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,definition ,in this ,act1 the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency4 #b4 ,maintaining risk premium rates for properties purchased after the date of enactment of the ,biggert-,waters ,flood ,insurance ,reform ,act of #bjab 7a7 ,in general ,section #acjg7;g7 of the ,national ,flood ,insurance ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djad7;g77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking paragraph 7#b72 and 7#b7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#c7 and 7#d7 as paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c71 respectively4 7b7 ,effective date ,subsection 7a7 shall take effect as if enacted on the date of enactment of the ,biggert-,waters ,flood ,insurance ,reform ,act of #bjab 7,public ,law #aab-ada2 #abf ,stat4 #iaf74 #c4 ,delay in flood insurance rate changes 7a7 ,in general ,any change in risk premium rates for flood insurance under the ,national ,flood ,insurance ,program under the amendments made by sections #ajjbje and #ajjbjg of the ,biggert-,waters ,flood ,insurance ,reform ,act of #bjab 7,public ,law #aab-ada2 #abf ,stat4 #iag7 to sections #acjg and #acjh of the ,national ,flood ,insurance ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djad and #djae7 shall not take effect until-- 7#a7 the date that is #ahj days after the date on which the ,administrator submits the report on affordability under section #ajjbcf7;c7 of the ,biggert-,waters ,flood ,insurance ,reform ,act of #bjab2 or 7#b7 if the ,administrator determines that the report on affordability required under section #ajjbcf7;c7 of the ,biggert-,waters ,flood ,insurance ,reform ,act of #bjab cannot be submitted by the date specified under such section #ajjbcf7;c71 the date that is #ahj days after the date on which the ,administrator submits the information under section #ajjbcf7;e77#b7 of such ,act1 as added by section #f of this ,act4 7b7 ,effective date ,subsection 7a7 shall take effect as if enacted as part of the ,biggert-,waters ,flood ,insurance ,reform ,act of #bjab4 #d4 ,studies of voluntary community-based flood insurance options 7a7 ,study 7#a7 ,study required ,the ,administrator shall conduct a study to assess options1 methods1 and strategies for making available voluntary community-based flood insurance policies through the ,national ,flood ,insurance ,program4 7#b7 ,considerations ,the study conducted under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 take into consideration and analyze how voluntary community-based flood insurance policies-- 7i7 would affect communities having varying economic bases1 geographic locations1 flood hazard characteristics or classifications1 and flood management approaches2 and 7ii7 could satisfy the applicable requirements under section #ajb of the ,flood ,disaster ,protection ,act of #aigc 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djab;a72 and 7,b7 evaluate the advisability of making available voluntary community-based flood insurance policies to communities1 subdivisions of communities1 and areas of residual risk4 7#c7 ,consultation ,in conducting the study required under paragraph 7#a71 the ,administrator may consult with the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states1 as the ,administrator determines is appropriate4 7b7 ,report by the ,administrator 7#a7 ,report required ,not later than #ah months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall submit to the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,financial ,services of the ,house of ,representatives a report that contains the results and conclusions of the study conducted under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,contents ,the report submitted under paragraph 7#a7 shall include recommendations for-- 7,a7 the best manner to incorporate voluntary community-based flood insurance policies into the ,national ,flood ,insurance ,program2 and 7,b7 a strategy to implement voluntary community-based flood insurance policies that would encourage communities to undertake flood mitigation activities1 including the construction1 reconstruction1 or improvement of levees1 dams1 or other flood control structures4 7c7 ,report by ,comptroller ,general ,not later than #f months after the date on which the ,administrator submits the report required under subsection 7b71 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall-- 7#a7 review the report submitted by the ,administrator2 and 7#b7 submit to the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,financial ,services of the ,house of ,representatives a report that contains-- 7,a7 an analysis of the report submitted by the ,administrator2 7,b7 any comments or recommendations of the ,comptroller ,general relating to the report submitted by the ,administrator2 and 7,c7 any other recommendations of the ,comptroller ,general relating to community-based flood insurance policies4 #e4 ,amendments to ,national ,flood ,insurance ,act of #aifh 7a7 ,adequate progress on construction of flood protection systems ,section #acjg7;e7 of the ,national ,flood ,insurance ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djad7;e77 is amended by inserting after the second sentence the following3 ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 in determining whether a community has made adequate progress on the construction1 reconstruction1 or improvement of a flood protection system1 the ,administrator shall not consider the level of ,federal funding of or participation in the construction1 reconstruction1 or improvement44 7b7 ,communities restoring disaccredited flood protection systems ,section #acjg7;f7 of the ,national ,flood ,insurance ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djad7;f77 is amended in the first sentence by striking no longer does so4 and inserting the following3 no longer does so1 and shall apply without regard to the level of ,federal funding of or participation in the construction1 reconstruction1 or improvement of the flood protection system44 #f4 ,affordability study ,section #ajjbcf of the ,biggert-,waters ,flood ,insurance ,reform ,act of #bjab 7,public ,law #aab-ada2 #abf ,stat4 #ieg7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7c71 by striking ,not and inserting the following3 ,subject to subsection 7e71 not2 7#b7 in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 by striking ,notwithstanding and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,national ,flood ,insurance ,fund ,notwithstanding 2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,other funding sources ,to carry out this section1 in addition to the amount made available under paragraph 7#a71 the ,administrator may use any other amounts that are available to the ,administrator4 2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7e7 ,alternative ,if the ,administrator determines that the report required under subsection 7c7 cannot be submitted by the date specified under subsection 7c7-- 7#a7 the ,administrator shall notify1 not later than #fj days after the date of enactment of this subsection1 the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,financial ,services of the ,house of ,representatives of an alternative method of gathering the information required under this section2 7#b7 the ,administrator shall submit1 not later than #ahj days after the ,administrator submits the notification required under paragraph 7#a71 to the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,financial ,services of the ,house of ,representatives the information gathered using the alternative method described in paragraph 7#a72 and 7#c7 upon the submission of information required under paragraph 7#b71 the requirement under subsection 7c7 shall be deemed satisfied4 4 #g4 ,facilities in coastal high hazard areas 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section-- 7#a7 the term coastal high hazard area has the same meaning as in section #i4d of title #dd1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 or any successor thereto2 7#b7 the term eligible entity means an entity that receives a contribution under section #djf of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagb72 7#c7 the term essential to a community's recovery means1 with respect to a structure or facility1 that the structure or facility is associated with the basic functions of a local government1 including public health and safety1 education1 law enforcement1 fire protection1 and other critical government operations2 and 7#d7 the term major disaster means a major disaster declared by the ,president under section #dja of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj74 7b7 ,regulations 7#a7 ,substantial improvements ,notwithstanding section #i4d of title #dd1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 an action relating to a structure or facility located in a coastal high hazard area for which an eligible entity received a contribution under section #djf of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagb7 shall be deemed to be a substantial improvement for purposes of part #i of title #dd1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 if-- 7,a7 the action involves the replacement of a structure or facility that-- 7i7 was located in the coastal high hazard area before the incident that caused the structure or facility to be totally destroyed2 and 7ii7 is essential to a community's recovery from a major disaster2 7,b7 there is no practicable alternative to locating a replacement structure or facility in the coastal high hazard area2 7,c7 the replacement structure or facility conforms to the most recent ,flood ,resistant ,design and ,construction standard issued by the ,american ,society of ,civil ,engineers1 or any more stringent standard approved by the ,administrator2 and 7,d7 the eligible entity develops evacuation and emergency response procedures to reduce the risk of loss of human life and operational disruption from a flood4 7#b7 ,relocation 7,a7 ,relocation required ,the amendments under paragraph 7#a7 shall provide that if the ,administrator determines that there is a practicable alternative to the original site of a structure or facility described in paragraph 7#a7 that is outside the coastal high hazard area and that provides better protection against the flood hazard or other hazards associated with coastal high hazard areas1 the replacement structure or facility shall be relocated to the alternative site4 7,b7 ,relocation ,if a replacement structure or facility is relocated under subparagraph 7,a71 the original site for the destroyed structure or facility shall be deed restricted in conformance with part #hj of title #dd1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations4 7,c7 ,no relocation ,if a replacement structure or facility is rebuilt at the same location1 the eligible entity shall set aside an alternative parcel of land in the coastal high hazard area of equal or greater size1 to be deed restricted in conformance with part #hj of title #dd1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 that the ,administrator determines-- 7i7 provides better protection against floods2 or 7ii7 promotes the restoration of natural and beneficial functions of coastal floodplains1 including protection to endangered species1 critical habitat1 wetlands1 or coastal uses4 7#c7 ,applicability ,this section shall apply with respect to any major disaster declared on or after the date of enactment of this ,act4