HR0332 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0332 LRB103 32658 MST 62359 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 90% of all natural disasters involve some type of flooding; and

WHEREAS, The five-year average cost of natural disasters in Illinois has jumped from $500 million (CPI-adjusted) in 1984 to $1.7 billion in 2023; and

WHEREAS, Climate change will continue to cause more severe and widespread natural disasters across Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Flood damages will continue to escalate in Illinois due to climate change; and

WHEREAS, There are 538,072 properties in Illinois at risk of flooding due to increases in precipitation caused by climate change over the next 30 years; and

WHEREAS, There are only 38,000 National Flood Insurance Program policies in force in Illinois, representing just 7% of property in Illinois prone to flood in the next 30 years; and

WHEREAS, The 2015 Urban Flood Awareness Act found that over 90% of urban flooding damage claims came from outside the mapped floodplain, in areas where flood insurance coverage is optional; and

WHEREAS, Most insurance policies for homeowners and renters do not cover flooding; and

WHEREAS, The National Flood Insurance Program and private flood insurance policies offer financial support to help people prepare for floods, avoid flood damages, and recover from flood events; and

WHEREAS, Increasing educational opportunities for Illinois insurance producers and potential consumers will increase the number of producers certified to sell National Flood Insurance Program policies and increase the number of flood insurance policies sold; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois Departments of Insurance and Natural Resources are urged to expand and improve educational opportunities for insurance producers and consumers regarding flood insurance; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Illinois Departments of Insurance and Natural Resources.