What's happening
This bill creates a task force to study and recommend solutions for home flooding prevention and mitigation in New York.
Why it matters
Brings a wide range of expertise to the table. by including representatives from government agencies, the homebuilding industry, flood insurance, and technical fields such as climatology, hydrology, and urban planning—ensuring that recommendations are informed by practical, scientific, and economic perspectives.
Directly addresses both coastal and inland flooding. , which means the task force’s work could have statewide relevance, not just for communities near the ocean or major rivers, but also for those affected by smaller waterways and changing weather patterns.
Mandates a thorough examination of both the causes and consequences of residential flooding. , including the financial toll, the current state of building codes and construction standards, and how land use and insurance rates are impacted—potentially leading to broad policy or regulatory changes.
Creates a timeline for actionable recommendations. , requiring the task force to report back by the end of 2026, which could accelerate legislative or regulatory responses to the increasing threat of home flooding in New York.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Flood Prevention Task Force
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
854
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. HELMING -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT in relation to establishing the home flooding prevention and mitigation task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Home flooding prevention and mitigation task force. 1. There is hereby created, within the department of state, the home flooding prevention and mitigation task force, which shall consist of 11 members who shall be appointed as follows:
(a) the secretary of state, or their designee;
(b) the commissioner of environmental conservation, or their designee;
(c) the director of the state emergency management task force, or their designee;
(d) the superintendent of insurance, or their designee;
(e) one member to be appointed by the governor;
(f) one member to be appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
(g) one member to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
(h) one member to be appointed by the senate minority leader;
(i) one member to be appointed by the assembly minority leader;
(j) one member to be appointed by the largest trade group representing homebuilders; and
(k) one member to be appointed by the largest trade group representing flood insurance companies.
2. The at large members shall have expertise in one or more of the following areas: construction; flood insurance; climatology; hydrology; economics; marine fisheries; law enforcement and emergency management;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01075-01-5
resilient infrastructure; geographic mapping and spatial analysis; and urban planning and sustainable development.
3. Task force members shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
4. The chairperson of the task force shall be voted on by the task force members. The task force shall meet no less than six times and at other times at the call of the chairperson.
5. Any vacancies on the task force shall be filled in the manner provided for in the initial appointment.
6. The task force shall be authorized to hold public hearings and meetings to enable it to accomplish its duties.
7. The task force may consult with any organization, educational institution, other government entity or agency or person in the development of its report required by subdivision 11 of this section.
8. The department of state shall provide the task force with such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the task force to carry out its powers and duties. Additionally, all other agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof may, at the request of the chairperson, provide the task force with such facilities, assistance, and data as will enable the task force to carry out its powers and duties.
9. The purpose of the home flooding prevention and mitigation task force shall be to study the impact of coastal and inland waterway flooding on residential homes, including, but not limited to:
(a) the monetary value of damage caused on an annual basis;
(b) the number of homes impacted on an annual basis;
(c) the number of homes in New York located in flood plains, as designated by the federal emergency management agency;
(d) the impact of increased flooding on flood insurance rates;
(e) changes needed in construction materials, standards, techniques and building codes to mitigate damage caused by flooding;
(f) coastal and inland waterway land use that contributes to flooding; and
(g) flood mitigation techniques to be used by municipalities in coastal and inland waterway residential areas.
10. The task force shall be appointed no later than 60 days after the effective date of this act.
11. No later than December 31, 2026, the task force shall submit to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the senate, and the minority leader of the assembly, a report detailing its findings, including recommendations for implementation.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed January 1, 2027.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act in relation to establishing the home flooding prevention and mitigation task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
Purpose or general idea of bill
To create the Flooding Prevention and Mitigation Task Force to examine the effects of coastal and inland flooding on residential areas and provide recommendations.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill creates the Flood and Mitigation Task Force and outlines the composition of the task force. This section also outlines the procedures for appointing the chairperson of the task force and filling any vacancies on the task force. It also directs state agencies to provide the task force with such assistance, facilities, and data as will enable the task force to carry out its powers and duties.
Section 1 also outlines the scope of the task force's study and provides that a report of the task force's findings and recommendations be provided to the Governor and legislature no later than December 31, 2025.
Section 2 provides for an immediate effective date and the repeal of this act effective January 1, 2027.
Justification
Each year, the lives of countless New Yorkers are put on hold as floods cause devastating damage to homes and communities. Recent hurricanes. including Ida and Ian, have also posed serious threats to families across the state. In 2023, more than 23 million people were placed under flood advisories and states of emergency due to flood risks and the state spent over $1 billion on flood risk reduction.
This legislation creates a task force to study home flooding threats and make recommendations to mitigate future flooding damage across the state. This includes recommendations on construction standards and tech- niques to mitigate future flood damage as well as flood mitigation tech- niques which can be employed by local governments. The task force will also examine the impact of increased flooding on flood insurance rates. This is an issue of growing concern, as flood insurance premiums have continued to rise throughout the United States.
Given the substantial costs associated with the home flooding and toll that these weather events take on communities throughout New York, we must take steps to study this issue and develop comprehensive solutions. This task force does just that by bringing together experts in environ- mental conservation, emergency management, insurance, and construction to address the threat of home flooding.
Prior legislative history
2024: S. 8981 referred to Finance
Fiscal implications
To be determined
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.