US Congress Senate Bill 600 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: Introduced on March 9 2017 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2017-03-09 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1746)
Pending: Senate Homeland Security And Governmental Affairs Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2017 This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to amend the rules concerning the factors it considers when evaluating a governor's request for a major disaster declaration to provide that, with respect to the evaluation of the need for public assistance: (1) specific weighted valuations shall be assigned to the estimated cost of the assistance (10%), localized impacts (40%), insurance coverage in force (10%), hazard mitigation (10%), recent multiple disasters (10%), programs of other federal assistance (10%), and economic circumstances (10%); and (2) FEMA shall consider the economic circumstances of both the local economy of the affected area (including the local assessable tax base and local sales tax, median income, and poverty rate) and the state economy (including the unemployment rate). Such rules must provide that, with respect to the evaluation of the severity, magnitude, and impact of the disaster and the evaluation of the need for assistance to individuals: (1) specific weighted valuations shall be assigned to concentration of damages (20%), trauma (20%), special populations (20%), voluntary agency assistance (10%), insurance (20%), average amount of individual assistance by state (5%), and economic considerations (5%); and (2) FEMA shall consider the economic circumstances of the affected area (including the local assessable tax base and local sales tax, median income, and poverty rate). Such rules are applicable to any disaster for which a governor requested a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and was denied on or after January 1, 2012.

Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2017

Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL]

Sen. Tammy Duckworth [D-IL]

Date	Chamber	Action
2017-03-09	Senate	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1746)

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/600/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/s600/BILLS-115s600is.pdf