Bill Requiring Insurance In Flood-Prone Areas Dies Without Vote By Associated Press - April 25, 2006SACRAMENTO (AP) _ A bill requiring Central Valley property owners who live in flood-prone areas to have flood insurance has died without getting a vote in a state Assembly committee.
The measure by Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, failed Monday when none of the 10 members of the Banking and Finance Committee asked for a vote.
"I think we've missed a very important opportunity to make sure people are protected so that when a flood comes, they'll have something to fall back on," Jones said.
The bill would have required valley property owners to buy coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program unless the state or a local agency certified that levees provided at least 200-year flood protection.
An area with such protection has a one in 200 chance of catastrophic flooding in any given year.
Current law bars lenders from making or renewing a loan on property without flood insurance in an area without at least 100-year flood protection.
The bill was opposed by insurance companies.
"We do not think it's the appropriate role of state government to mandate flood insurance or any insurance," said Michael Paiva of the Personal Insurance Federation of California. |