Bill > SB179

This bill establishes the Strengthen Arkansas Homes Act, which creates a new program within the State Insurance Department to provide financial grants to homeowners and nonprofit organizations for mitigating wind and hail damage to single-family homes. The program will use $12 million annually from insurance premium taxes to fund grants that help homeowners retrofit or construct homes to meet FORTIFIED Home construction standards set by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. Homeowners must meet specific eligibility requirements, including owning a primary residence with a homestead exemption, hiring certified contractors, and obtaining wind and flood insurance. Insurance companies will be required to offer premium discounts for homes meeting these standards, and an optional policy endorsement will allow homeowners to upgrade their roof during a covered claim. The bill creates a special Strengthen Arkansas Homes Program Premium Tax Fund to manage the program's finances, and specifies that grant funds will be paid directly to contractors after a home receives FORTIFIED certification. The program is not an entitlement and will operate on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to areas more susceptible to wind and hail damage. The bill becomes effective on January 1, 2026.

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https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=sb179&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R