HLS 22RS-824 ENGROSSED
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 612
BY REPRESENTATIVE HUVAL
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT: Provides for the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 22:1483.1, relative to the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program; to provide for
3 financial grants to retrofit residential property; to define certain terms; to provide for
4 eligibility requirements; to provide for confidentiality of applicants; to provide for
5 an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 22:1483.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 ยง1483.1. Louisiana Fortify Homes Program
9 A. The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program is hereby created within the
10 department. The commissioner, as program administrator, may make financial
11 grants to retrofit insurable property, as defined in R.S. 22:1483(C)(9), with a
12 homestead exemption to resist loss due to hurricane, tornado, or other catastrophic
13 windstorm events and to meet or exceed the fortified home standards of the
14 Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. The commissioner shall
15 promulgate rules governing eligibility requirements for grants and the administration
16 of the program.
17 B. In order to receive a grant pursuant to this Section, the grantee shall do
18 all of the following:
19 (1) Obtain all permits required by law or ordinance for construction.
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HB NO. 612
1 (2) Arrange and pay for inspections required by law or ordinance and the
2 terms of the grant, which shall include inspection pursuant to R.S. 22:1483(C)(3).
3 (3) Comply with applicable building codes.
4 (4) Maintain records as required by R.S. 22:1483(C)(4) and (5) and the terms
5 of the grant.
6 C. The name of a recipient of a grant received pursuant to this Section, the
7 amount of the grant, and the municipal address of the retrofitted insurable property
8 shall be a public record.
9 D.(1) Funds for the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program shall be appropriated
10 from revenue generated by the department, not to exceed ten million dollars in any
11 fiscal year, which shall be deposited with the state treasurer and credited to the
12 Louisiana Fortify Homes Fund, which is hereby created within the state treasury.
13 (2) Funds shall be used in amounts appropriated by the legislature to cover
14 the cost of grants provided for in this Section. Funds not expended in the fiscal year
15 for which appropriated shall remain in the fund for distribution in subsequent fiscal
16 years.
17 E. This Section does not create any of the following:
18 (1) An entitlement for property owners to receive funding to inspect or
19 retrofit residential property.
20 (2) An obligation for the state to appropriate funding to inspect or retrofit
21 residential property.
22 Section 2. This Act shall become effective January 1, 2023.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 612 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Huval
Abstract: Provides for the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program.
Proposed law creates the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program within the La. Department of
Insurance.
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are additions. HLS 22RS-824 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 612
Proposed law provides that the commissioner of insurance may make financial grants to
retrofit insurable property with a homestead exemption to resist loss and meet or exceed the
fortified home standards of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.
Proposed law provides that the commissioner shall promulgate rules governing eligibility
requirements for grants and the administration of the program.
Proposed law provides that in order to receive a grant pursuant to proposed law, the grantee
shall obtain all permits required by law or ordinance for construction, arrange and pay for
inspections required by law or ordinance and the terms of the grant, which shall include
inspection and certification by an Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety certified
inspector, comply with applicable building codes, and maintain records as required by
present law and the terms of the grant.
Proposed law provides that the name of a recipient of a grant received pursuant to proposed
law, the amount of the grant, and the municipal address of the retrofitted insurable property
shall be a public record.
Proposed law creates the La. Fortify Homes Fund within the state treasury.
Proposed law provides that funds for the La. Fortify Homes Program shall be appropriated
from revenue generated by the department, not to exceed $10,000,000 in any fiscal year,
which shall be deposited with the state treasurer and credited to the fund.
Proposed law provides that funds shall be used in amounts appropriated by the legislature
to cover the cost of grants provided for in proposed law. Funds not expended in the fiscal
year for which appropriated shall remain in the fund for distribution in subsequent fiscal
years.
Proposed law does not create an entitlement for property owners to receive funding to
inspect or retrofit residential property or create an obligation for the state to appropriate
funding to inspect or retrofit residential property.
Effective Jan. 1, 2023.
(Adds R.S. 22:1483.1)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.