Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1576 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		89R5278 DNC-D
2		-	By: Oliverson~~, et al.~~ H.B. No. 1576
	2	+	By: Oliverson H.B. No. 1576
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7	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8		AN ACT
9	9		relating to a grant program for hurricane and windstorm loss
10	10		mitigation for single-family residential property.
11	11		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12		SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 10, Insurance Code, is amended
13	13		by adding Chapter 1813 to read as follows:
14	14		CHAPTER 1813. GRANT PROGRAM FOR HURRICANE AND WINDSTORM LOSS
15	15		MITIGATION FOR SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
16	16		Sec. 1813.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "program"
17	17		means the hurricane and windstorm loss prevention grant program
18	18		established under this chapter.
19	19		Sec. 1813.002. CONSTRUCTION OF CHAPTER. This chapter does
20	20		not create an entitlement for property owners or obligate the state
21	21		to fund the inspection or retrofitting of residential property in
22	22		this state.
23	23		Sec. 1813.003. RULEMAKING. The commissioner may adopt
24	24		rules necessary to implement this chapter.
25	25		Sec. 1813.004. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. The commissioner
26	26		shall establish the hurricane and windstorm loss prevention grant
27	27		program to provide grants to retrofit eligible residential property
28	28		to resist hurricane and windstorm losses.
29	29		Sec. 1813.005. ELIGIBILITY. An owner of residential
30	30		property may apply for a grant under the program if:
31	31		(1) the property to be retrofitted is:
32	32		(A) a single-family home or HUD-code
33	33		manufactured home, as defined by Section 1201.003, Occupations
34	34		Code; and
35	35		(B) the owner's residence homestead, as defined
36	36		by Section 11.13, Tax Code; and
37	37		(2) the owner and the property meet other eligibility
38	38		requirements for the program prescribed by commissioner rule.
39	39		Sec. 1813.006. AWARD OF GRANTS. The commissioner may award
40	40		grants under the program to eligible applicants to ensure the state
41	41		purpose of protecting public safety during a hurricane or windstorm
42	42		is achieved. The commissioner may only award a grant under a
43	43		contract between the department and a grant recipient that includes
44	44		provisions under which the department is given sufficient control
45	45		to ensure the state purpose is accomplished and the state receives
46	46		the return benefit.
47	47		Sec. 1813.007. USE OF GRANT. (a) A grant under the program
48	48		must be used to retrofit the property that is the subject of the
49	49		grant to one of the following:
50	50		(1) the fortified home hurricane standard or fortified
51	51		home high wind and hail standard adopted by the Institute for
52	52		Business and Home Safety; or
53	53		(2) another mitigation program, construction
54	54		technique, or standardized code that may be submitted by an insurer
55	55		and approved by the commissioner.
56	56		(b) A property that is a HUD-code manufactured home, as
57	57		defined by Section 1201.003, Occupations Code, in wind zone III as
58	58		designated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban
59	59		Development must be retrofitted to the fortified home hurricane
60	60		manufactured/modular home guidelines adopted by the Institute for
61	61		Business and Home Safety.
62	62		Sec. 1813.008. PERMITTING AND INSPECTIONS. (a) The
63	63		recipient of a grant under this chapter shall secure all required
64	64		local permits and inspections for a retrofitting project to be
65	65		performed using the grant and ensure that the project is performed
66	66		in accordance with local building codes.
67	67		(b) The department or a political subdivision in which
68	68		property for which a grant is awarded is located may inspect the
69	69		property at any time during the progress of or following completion
70	70		of the retrofitting project for compliance with laws applicable to
71	71		the project.
72	72		Sec. 1813.009. HURRICANE AND WINDSTORM MITIGATION ACCOUNT.
73	73		(a) The hurricane and windstorm mitigation account is a dedicated
74	74		account in the general revenue fund. Money in the account may be
75	75		appropriated only to the department and only for the purpose of
76	76		implementing the program.
77	77		(b) The account is composed of:
78	78		(1) gifts, grants, donations, and legislative
79	79		appropriations; and
80	80		(2) interest earned on the investment of money in the
81	81		account.
82	82		(c) Section 403.0956, Government Code, does not apply to the
83	83		account.
84	84		(d) The department administers the account. The department
85	85		may solicit and receive gifts, grants, and donations from any
86	86		source for the benefit of the account.
87	87		Sec. 1813.010. NONPROFIT ADMINISTRATION. (a) The
88	88		commissioner may make grants or funding available through the
89	89		program to a nonprofit organization for use by the organization to
90	90		retrofit eligible property in the manner required by this chapter.
91	91		(b) A nonprofit organization that received a grant or
92	92		funding under this section must administer the grant or funding in
93	93		the same manner as the program is required to administer grants or
94	94		funding. The organization shall provide any documentation
95	95		requested by the department in a timely manner.
96	96		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.