What's happening
This bill requires state approval and funding for homeowner natural disaster preparedness and safety courses, setting standards and oversight for such programs.
Why it matters
Increases oversight and quality control. By requiring state superintendent approval for all homeowner disaster preparedness and safety courses, the bill aims to ensure higher standards and consistency in the information provided to homeowners.
Sets conditions for state funding. The bill mandates that no state funds can be spent on these courses until a comprehensive program and fiscal plan is approved, potentially improving transparency and responsible use of public money.
Establishes uniformity and evaluation criteria. The introduction of specific evaluation criteria and uniform standards for both course content and costs may help ensure that programs are both effective and fairly priced, reducing variability and potential inequities across different regions or providers.
May impact insurance premiums and disaster resilience. By standardizing and funding these educational programs, the legislation could lead to better-informed homeowners, potentially reducing property damage and insurance claims during disasters, which might also influence insurance costs over time.
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Who cares
Homeowners and Renters
Individuals seeking to better protect their homes from natural disasters and qualify for any insurance benefits or discounts related to completing approved preparedness and loss prevention courses.
Insurance Companies
Insurers that may wish to develop or sponsor these courses, offer them to policyholders, and potentially benefit from reduced claims due to improved disaster preparedness among customers.
Course Providers and Safety Organizations
Nonprofits, agencies, or private organizations that design and deliver home safety and disaster preparedness courses, and will need to seek official state approval for their offerings.
New York State Department of Financial Services / Superintendent of Insurance
The regulatory body responsible for reviewing, approving, and overseeing the standards for these courses, as well as administering funding and requests for proposals.
Headline styles
Disaster Prep Courses for Homeowners
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.848
- Reported and committed to finance
- Print number 5461a
- Amend and recommit to insurance
- Referred to insurance
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.587
Show 1 earlier action
- Referred to insurance
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Disaster Preparedness Courses Required
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Catalina Cruz
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5461--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 21, 2025
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance -- recommitted to the Committee on Insurance in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention courses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraphs 3 and 4 of paragraph (a) and paragraph (d) of subsection 5 of section 2346 of the insurance law, as added by section 2 of part BB of chapter 54 of the laws of 2016, are amended and a new paragraph (e) is added to read as follows:
(3) "Homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention course" means a natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention course that has been submitted to the superintendent for [their information and review] approval by an applicant, and which has been approved by the superintendent, pursuant to paragraph (d) of this subsection. Such course [may] shall provide useful information to participants on items including, but not limited to: courses of action that can be taken before, during and after the occurrence of a natural disaster, strategies to reduce risk exposure to insured residential property owners and renters, and information about the installation of equipment, devices or other capital improvements to real property which can help to eliminate or mitigate damage to real or personal property, personal injury or the loss of life caused by a natural disaster or other insurable event or occurrence of a fire, theft, burglary, personal injury or property damage.
(4) "Applicant" means an insurer, or any other person, agency or organization which submits a proposed homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention course to the superinten-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00156-03-6
dent for [their information and review] approval pursuant to paragraph (d) of this subsection, and who or which is prepared and able to offer such course to insureds upon the approval thereof.
(d) The superintendent may establish, by rule or otherwise, standards or guidelines to be used by the superintendent when reviewing the proposed homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention courses. Every such course submitted by an applicant to the superintendent for approval must be reviewed and shall be subject to approval by the superintendent.
(e) The department shall issue a request for proposal for the homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention courses described pursuant to this subsection. On or before March first, two thousand twenty-seven, the department shall submit a request for state funding in order to effectuate the provisions of this subsection; provided, however, that no expenditure shall be made until the superintendent has approved a program and fiscal plan for homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention courses. Such plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) specific criteria to be applied in evaluating the requests for proposal; and (2) uniform course and cost standards.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention courses
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of this bill would require that every "homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention course" submitted to the Department of Financial Services be subject to review and approval by the Department, the Department shall issue a request for proposal for the "homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention courses," and on or before March 1, 2025, the Department shall submit a request for state funding in order to effectu- ate the such review and approval of the course.
Section 2 of this bill provides that the effective date shall take effect immediately.
Justification
Over the last decade more and more catastrophic weather events have struck the Northeastern region of the United States. The purpose of this bill is to encourage homeowners to take a natural disaster preparedness course to help reduce the risk of property damage, personal injury, and loss of life that can occur as the result of these increasingly catastrophic weather events. In addition, by encouraging residential property owners to take such a class, it is the Sponsor's hope to help reduce the economic and personal injuries that occur due to these weath- er events. This bill would position the state to be better prepared, more resilient and able to provide relief and recovery assistance to impacted communities quickly.
Prior legislative history
2023-24: S.4057A (Mannion)- Committed to Finance.
2021-22: S.7917-A (Reichlin-Melnick) - Committed to Rules.
Implications for state and local governments
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.