Federal

Hazard and Flooding Mitigation Funding Assurance Act

Source: Congress.gov · 403 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill changes the rules for federal disaster help to pay for protecting communities from flooding and debris flow that happens after wildfires. It requires the President to pay at least 75 percent of the cost of these protection projects, and lets the President pay up to 100 percent if needed.

Who It Affects

Communities affected by wildfires and post-wildfire flooding. The President (or their appointed officials who handle disaster relief). State and local governments that receive federal disaster assistance.

Key Provisions

• The President must contribute at least 75 percent of the cost for hazard mitigation projects, and may contribute up to 100 percent of the cost (Sec. 2(a)(1)) • Post-wildfire flooding and debris flow from burn scars are added as eligible projects for federal hazard mitigation assistance (Sec. 2(a)(2)(C)) • These changes apply to all assistance given under this law on or after the date this bill becomes law (Sec. 2(b))

What Changes

The federal government's minimum payment for disaster mitigation projects increases from "up to 75 percent" to "not less than 75 percent." Post-wildfire flooding and debris flow from burn scars become newly eligible types of projects that can receive federal mitigation funding.

Important Definitions

Hazard mitigation assistance: help provided by the federal government to reduce or prevent damage from natural disasters.

Effective Date

The date this bill is enacted into law, though the specific date is not provided in the bill text.

II 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 485 To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide hazard mitigation assistance for mitigating and preventing post-wildfire flooding and debris flow, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 16, 2023 Mr. PADILLA (for himself and Mr. SULLIVAN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Secu- rity and Governmental Affairs A BILL To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer- gency Assistance Act to authorize the President to pro- vide hazard mitigation assistance for mitigating and pre- venting post-wildfire flooding and debris flow, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hazard and Flooding 4 Mitigation Funding Assurance Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:23 Mar 04, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S485.IS S485 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 485 IS SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO IMPROVE HAZARD MITIGATION 1 ASSISTANCE. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 404 of the Robert T. 3 Stafford Disaster Relief And Emergency Assistance Act 4 (42 U.S.C. 5170c) is amended— 5 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘The Presi- 6 dent may contribute up to 75 percent of the cost’’ 7 and inserting ‘‘The President shall contribute not 8 less than 75 percent of the cost and may contribute 9 not more than 100 percent of the cost’’; and 10 (2) in subsection (f)— 11 (A) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘and’’ 12 at the end; 13 (B) in paragraph (14), by striking the pe- 14 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 15 (C) by adding at the end the following: 16 ‘‘(15) mitigating post-wildfire flooding and de- 17 bris flow from burn scars.’’. 18 (b) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by sub- 19 section (a) shall apply with respect to assistance provided 20 under section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re- 21 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c) on 22 or after the date of enactment of this Act. 23 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:23 Mar 04, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S485.IS S485 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

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