Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2019

To amend the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to allow the repair, expansion, and construction, without elevation, of agricultural structures located in special flood hazard zones, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2019 2. Requirements for State and local land use controls Subsection (a) of section 1315 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 4022(a) (3) Allowable local variances for certain agricultural structures (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; and (ii) the Administrator may not suspend a community from participation in the national flood insurance program, or place such a community on probation under such program, because such land use and control measures provide for such a variance. This subparagraph shall not limit the ability of the Administrator to take enforcement action against a community that does not adopt adequate variance criteria or establish proper enforcement mechanisms. (B) Variance; considerations The requirements of this subparagraph with respect to a variance are as follows: (i) The variance is granted by an official from a duly constituted State or local zoning authority, or other authorized public body responsible for regulating land development or occupancy in flood-prone areas. (ii) In the case of new construction, such official has determined— (I) that neither floodproofing nor elevation of the new structure to the base flood elevation is practicable; and (II) that the structure is not located in— (aa) a designated regulatory floodway; (bb) an area riverward of a levee or other flood control structure; or (cc) an area subject to high velocity wave action or seaward of flood control structures. (iii) In the case of existing structures— (I) if such structure is substantially damaged or in need of substantial repairs or improvements, such official has determined that neither floodproofing nor elevation to the base flood elevation is practicable; and (II) if such structure is located within a designated regulatory flood­way, such official has determined that the repair or improvement does not result in any increase in base flood levels during the base flood discharge. (iv) Such official has determined that the variance will not result in increased flood heights, additional threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense, create nuisances, cause fraud on or victimization of the public, or conflict with existing local laws or ordinances. (v) Not more than one claim payment exceeding $1,000 has been made for the structure under flood insurance coverage under this title within any period of 10 consecutive years at any time prior to the granting of the variance. (C) Definitions For purposes of this paragraph, the following definitions shall apply: (i) Agricultural structure The term agricultural structure (ii) Floodproofing The term floodproofing . 3. Premium rates Section 1308 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 ( 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. . 4. Levee-impacted areas Section 1360 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 ( 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) (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. (2) Transition Before the Administrator has developed actuarial rates for the various AL zones, covered structures within the portions of the community located within the levee-impacted area shall be eligible for rates associated with areas of moderate flood hazards. . 5. Multiple agricultural structure policy pilot program (a) Authority The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (in this section referred to as the Administrator 42 U.S.C. 4022(a)(2)(D) (b) Availability in regular program communities The Administrator may provide coverage under the pilot program only for properties located in communities for which a flood insurance rate map is in effect and in which the full limits of coverage under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 are available. (c) Limit of coverage Coverage provided under the pilot program shall not exceed $500,000 aggregate liability per policy for coverage of structures and $500,000 aggregate liability per policy for coverage of contents. (d) Applicable waiting periods Coverage provided under the pilot program shall comply with subsection (c) of section 1306 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 4013(c) (e) Substantial conformance with general policy form (1) Requirements Coverage provided under the pilot program shall be consistent with, and as substantially identical as possible to, the terms, conditions, and exclusions found in the General Property Form of the Standard Flood Insurance Policy, as set forth in Appendix A(2) to Part 61 of title 44, Code of Federal Regulations. (2) Implementation Notwithstanding any applicable rulemaking requirements, to the extent necessary to implement the pilot program under this section, the Administrator may issue endorsements to the General Policy Form of the Standard Flood Insurance Policy, as set forth in the Appendix referred to in paragraph (1), except that no such endorsement may be issued before the expiration of the 6-month period beginning upon publication of such endorsement in the Federal Register. (f) Exclusive use of direct servicing agent Notwithstanding any other provision of law, or arrangements entered into under section 1340 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 4071 (g) Limitation on reformation of existing policies The Administrator may not sell a contract for coverage under the pilot program under this section for a structure that covers any period during which the structure is covered under another contract for insurance coverage made available under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. (h) Rule of construction Nothing in this section may be construed to limit or restrict the Administrator’s authority to provide, by regulation, for general terms and conditions of flood insurance for multiple structures under one flood insurance policy pursuant to sections 1305 and 1306 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 4012 (i) Implementation The Administrator may not sell any policy for flood insurance coverage under the pilot program under this section before the expiration of the 6-month period beginning upon publication in the Federal Register of notice describing the pilot program and setting forth the general terms and conditions of endorsements to be sold under the program. (j) Termination The pilot program under this section shall terminate upon, and the Administrator may not sell any policy for flood insurance coverage under the pilot program after, the expiration of the 6-year period beginning upon the date of the enactment of this Act. (k) Report to Congress Not later than the expiration of the 5-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit a report to the Congress describing and evaluating the pilot program under this section.

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.