The Pennsylvania State Capitol Building, in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Photo: Shutterstock
Pennsylvania state Sen. Steve Santarsiero, D-Bucks, and Rep. Perry Warren, D-Bucks, joined Gov. Josh Shapiro on Dec. 4 in Yardley Borough for the bill signing of House Bill 735, establishing a task force to address rising flood insurance premiums.
"After a devastating storm this summer dropped a month's worth of rain in a span of just two hours and flash flooding swept cars off of roads, and flooded homes, schools, and businesses in Bucks County, my administration was on the ground immediately, providing assistance to rescue and recovery efforts, set up detours, and keep people safe," Shapiro said. "Chaired by Insurance Commissioner Mike Humphreys, the task force established by HB 735 will bring together leaders from my Administration and the Legislature to closely review the needs of our communities who are at an increased risk of flooding. They'll identify the kinds of programs that would make sure flood insurance is accessible and affordable for the Pennsylvanians who need it—and recommend the best courses of action our commonwealth can take to help increase the number of Pennsylvanians protected by flood insurance."
"Eight years ago, I introduced what was then HB 1299 which was the precursor for HB 735, to help Pennsylvanians living in flood zones with flood insurance premiums," Santarsiero said. "Then, as now, residents in neighborhoods along the Delaware River were facing skyrocketing flood insurance costs that threatened their ability to protect their homes and made it almost impossible for them to sell. I want to thank my friend and successor in the House Rep. Warren for continuing the work on this issue with me. This is an important step toward helping Pennsylvanians across the commonwealth find relief from rising flood insurance premiums."
The bill signing took place at the Yardley Inn, a restaurant in Yardley Borough that has been flooded several times. The building is set to begin renovations in early 2025 to move the restaurant further back from the Delaware River and elevate the foundation to prevent future flooding.
"Thank you to Governor Shapiro for coming to Yardley to sign House Bill 735 into law as Act 22 of 2023," Warren said. "I reintroduced this bill when I was first elected in 2017, it passed in the House in the 2019-2020 Session, and it was the first bill passed by the House Insurance Committee in 2021-2022, but it did not get across the finish line. This year, through the collective efforts of Senator Santarsiero, the House Insurance Committee, the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee and me, and in the wake of the devastating flooding in Upper Makefield and Lower Makefield in July, the bill passed in the House and Senate and has become law with Governor Shapiro's signature."
Reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program that Congress passed in 2012, called the Biggert-Waters Act, phased out the federal subsidy for flood insurance costs and directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to revise its flood plain maps. Those new maps included many more homes in the flood zones and requiring flood insurance.
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