Government and Politics
December 16, 2022
From: Florida Governor Ron DeSantisFORT MYERS BEACH, FL — On Dec 16th, Governor Ron DeSantis signed two bills following the special session that took place this week. Governor DeSantis signed Senate Bill (SB) 4-A which provides $750 million for additional disaster relief to Floridians following Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. The Governor also signed SB 2-A,the most significant property insurance reform bill in recent history which helps to stabilize our property insurance market, increase competition, and strengthen consumer protections. More on actions taken during the recent special session can be found here.
“We have taken an all hands on deck approach to cut through bureaucracy to help our communities recover from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I want to thank the Legislature for bringing additional disaster relief to communities across the state as we continue our historic recovery.
“The issues in Florida’s property insurance market did not occur overnight, and they will not be solved overnight. The historic reforms signed on Dec 16th, create an environment which realigns Florida to best practices across the nation, adding much-needed stability to Florida’s market, promoting competition, and increasing consumer choice. I am thankful the Legislature answered the call for meaningful reform.”
“I am honored to stand beside Governor DeSantis and Senate President Passidomo after a productive Special Session that was focused on providing Floridians with much needed relief,” said House Speaker Paul Renner. “The Florida House and our Senate partners faced the challenge of stabilizing the property insurance market and providing Floridians affected by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole with critical resources to recover quickly and efficiently. We are all feeling the effects of inflation and rising insurance premiums, so we took action to deliver consumer driven reforms that expedite the claims process and curb frivolous lawsuits that drive up costs. I witnessed the devastation from the recent hurricanes and was proud of how our Chamber came together and rose to the occasion. The results of this Special Session provide Floridians with the peace of mind that they will be able to access a robust property insurance market and our local communities will have the financial assistance to recover and rebuild better than before.”
“When the Governor and I walked through the communities impacted by Ian in the days that followed the storm, the devastation was almost indescribable,” said Senate President Kathleen Passidomo. “The Governor made a promise that he would be here every step of the way as we work to recover, and he has kept that promise. The legislation he is signing on Dec 16th, provides three quarters of a billion dollars in additional hurricane relief funding that will make a huge difference for impacted communities in Southwest Florida and across our state. This legislation provides tax relief for owners of destroyed homes, housing assistance for displaced Floridians, and funding for reconstructing impacted beaches and essential water infrastructure. We are also providing $350 million to help local government to pay local match requirements for FEMA Grants. With the continued leadership and support of our great Governor, our community is bound and determined to rebuild stronger and better than ever.”
SB 4-A, Disaster Relief, provides property tax relief for homes rendered uninhabitable due to the storm. Additionally, the bill provides $750 million for the communities impacted by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, including:
SB 2-A, Property Insurance, is the most significant property insurance reform bill in recent history, strengthening Florida’s property insurance market by:
SB 2-A, Property Insurance, builds on progress made during the Special Session held earlier this year to address concerns with the property insurance market. After that Special Session, Governor DeSantis signed SB 2-D which enacted pro-consumer measures to help alleviate rising insurance costs, increased insurance claim transparency, and cracked down on frivolous lawsuits which drive up costs for all Floridians. This built upon previous actions taken by the Governor on property insurance including signing House Bill 7065 in 2019 to curtail Assignment of Benefit abuse and SB 76 in 2021 which restructured litigation rules for insurance claims to reduce the burden of excessive litigation.