Flood Insurance Transparency Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-2916
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
Introduced: 2021-09-30
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Latest action: action_date: 2021-09-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-09-30
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Flood Insurance Transparency Act of 2021 </strong></p> <p>This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) make publicly available all data, models, assessments, analytical tools, and other information relating to the National Flood Insurance Program that is used in assessing flood risk or identifying and establishing flood elevations and premiums. This includes data relating to the risks of individual properties, loss ratio information, and current and historical policy and claims information. </p> <p>To accomplish this, FEMA must establish an open source data system through which all such information may be electronically accessed by the public. Further, FEMA must establish a public database that provides information regarding each community participating in the program.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2916 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 30, 2021 Mr. Scott of Florida introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs A BILL To amend the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to require that certain information is made publicly available, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Flood Insurance Transparency Act of 2021 . 2. Public availability of program information Part C of chapter II of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 4081 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: 1349. Public availability of program information (a) Definitions In this section— (1) the term loss ratio means, with respect to the national flood insurance program in a fiscal year, the ratio of the amount of claims paid under that program during that fiscal year to the amount of premiums paid under that program during that fiscal year; and (2) the term multiple-loss property means— (A) a repetitive loss structure; or (B) a severe repetitive loss structure, as that term is defined in section 1366(h). (b) Flood risk information (1) In general To facilitate the national flood insurance program becoming a source of information and data for research and development of technology that better understands flooding, the risk of flooding, and the predictability of the perils of flooding, the Administrator shall make publicly available all data, models, assessments, analytical tools, and other information in the possession of the Administrator relating to that program under this title that is used in assessing flood risk or identifying and establishing flood elevations and premiums, including— (A) data relating to risk on individual properties, loss ratio information, and other information identifying losses under that program; (B) current and historical policy information, limited to the amount and term only, for properties covered by flood insurance under the national flood insurance program (as of the date on which the information is made available) and for properties that are no longer covered by flood insurance under the national flood insurance program (as of the date on which the information is made available); (C) current and historical claims information, limited to the date and amount paid only, for properties covered by flood insurance under the national flood insurance program (as of the date on which the information is made available) and for properties that are no longer covered by flood insurance under the national flood insurance program (as of the date on which the information is made available); (D) identification of whether a property was constructed before or after the effective date of the first flood insurance rate map for the community in which that property is located; (E) identification of properties that have been mitigated through elevation, a buyout, or any other mitigation action; and (F) identification of multiple-loss properties with respect to which mitigation measures have not been undertaken. (2) Open source data system In carrying out paragraph (1), the Administrator shall establish an open source data system by which all information required to be made publicly available by that paragraph may be accessed by the public on an immediate basis by electronic means. (c) Community information Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish and maintain a publicly searchable database that provides information about each community participating in the national flood insurance program, which shall include the following information: (1) The status of the compliance by that community with the requirements of that program, including any findings of noncompliance, the status of any enforcement actions initiated by a State or by the Administrator, and the number of days of any such continuing noncompliance. (2) The number of properties located in areas having special flood hazards in the community that were built before the effective date of the first flood insurance rate map for the community. (3) The number of properties located in areas having special flood hazards in the community that were built after the effective date of the first flood insurance rate map for the community. (4) The total number of current and historical claims located outside areas having special flood hazards in the community. (5) The total number of multiple-loss properties in the community. (6) The portion of the community, stated as a percentage and in terms of square miles, that is located within areas having special flood hazards. (d) Identification of properties The information provided pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) shall— (1) be based on data that identifies properties at the zip code or census block level; and (2) with respect to a property, include the name of the community and State in which the property is located. (e) Protection of personally identifiable information The information provided pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) shall be disclosed in a format that does not reveal individually identifiable information about property owners in accordance with section 552a of title 5, United States Code. .