NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7761

Senate Bill S7761

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Relates to disaster relief for extreme weather events, long-term climate resilience property improvements, and insurance discounts for climate mitigation efforts

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Local Government Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 05, 2025	referred to local government

2025-S7761 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Local Government
Law Section:: Real Property

2025-S7761 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts into law components of legislation relating to disaster relief for extreme weather events in Central New York, long-term climate resilience property improvements, and insurance discounts for climate mitigation efforts; establishes the central New York extreme weather relief and resiliency grant program to provide grants to certain persons and entities that suffered damage from covered events (Part A); expands and strengthens the resilient and ready program by providing grants to homeowners impacted by extreme weather events and providing grants for long-term climate resilience improvements for snow and tornado-related weather hazards (Part B); establishes the central New York property/casualty insurance resiliency incentive program to facilitate property/casualty insurance discounts for mitigation efforts (Part C).

2025-S7761 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7761

SPONSOR: GRIFFO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to create the central New York extreme weather relief and resili-
ency grant program (Part A); expand and strengthen the resilient and
ready program (Part B); and establishes the central New York
property/casualty insurance resiliency incentive program (Part C)

 
PURPOSE:

To assist communities in Central New York that were impacted by rare
severe weather in 2024 and early 2025 and to ensure that communities are
prepared for further severe weather that may strike in the future.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Part A:

Section 1- Legislative findings- Sets forth the date of the Rome torna-
do- July 16, 2024, when a high-end EF2 tornado struck Rome, New York.

Enacts into law components of legislation relating to disaster relief
for extreme weather events in Central New York, long term climate resi-
lience property improvements, and insurance discounts for climate miti-
gation efforts from the disaster events detailed on July 16, 2024 and
further events in the range January 6, 2025 and February 25, 2025 when
extreme winter weather events struck Oneida, Madison, Herkimer, Ononda-
ga, Otsego and adjacent counties and caused significant storm damage.

This section also provides grants for small businesses, farms, owners of
multiple dwellings, homeowners associations and not-for-profit organiza-
tions that sustained direct physical damage under one of the covered
extreme weather events which they can apply for to cover repairs. The
Empire State Development Corporation will administer these grants.
Owners of residences are also eligible to apply if their residence
sustained damage.

Part B:

- Establishes the expanded resilient and ready program which includes
the expanded rapid response home repair program and the expanded resil-
ient retrofits program which would provide grants to homeowners impacted
by extreme weather events and longterm climate resilience improvements.

- Defines "extreme weather events."

- Sets the amount of the grants and that they will be administered by
the Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

- Sets that the renewal resilient retrofits program shall be expanded to
support long-term climate resilience improvements for snow and tornado-
related weather hazards.

Part C:



- Establishes the Central New York property/casualty insurance resilien-
cy incentive program to facilitate property/casualty insurance discounts
for mitigation efforts

- Property/casualty insurers in NY are encouraged to offer loss miti-
gation tools and services to policyholders for free or reduced cost

- The Department of Financial Services shall issue guidance to ensure
loss mitigation tools

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The Central New York region has struggled with severe weather over the
past year. On July 16, 2024, a high-end EF2 tornado struck Rome, New
York causing significant damage across the city. From January 6, 2025,
through February 25, 2025, extreme winter weather ranging from high
winds to non-stop snow with blizzard like conditions tore through
Central New York causing roof collapses, ice dams and damage to struc-
tures. The higher frequency of these storms requires an update to our
storm recovery and mitigation efforts to ensure our municipalities and
citizens have the tools to prepare for severe weather and recover when
impacted.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately provided, however, that the
applicable effective date of Parts A through C of this act shall be as
specifically set forth in the last section of such Parts.

2025-S7761 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7761
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 5, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  GRIFFO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
 
 AN ACT to create the central New York extreme weather relief and resili-
   ency grant program (Part A); expand and strengthen the  resilient  and
   ready   program  (Part  B);  and  establishes  the  central  New  York
   property/casualty insurance resiliency incentive program (Part C)
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative  findings.  On  July 16, 2024, a high-end EF2
 tornado struck Rome, New York, causing  significant  damage  across  the
 city.  The  tornado  touched  down  near  the  Erie Canal at 3:25 PM and
 remained on the ground for approximately 10 minutes, covering a path  of
 5.25  miles  with a width of 300 yards. Peak winds were estimated at 135
 mph. Notable damage included the destruction of two church steeples  and
 roofs,  numerous  uprooted  trees,  and  a decommissioned B-52 bomber at
 Griffiss International Airport being shifted from its  platform.    This
 event  was  part  of a broader severe weather pattern in New York during
 2024.  Warmer temperatures can lead to more moisture in the  atmosphere,
 fueling  severe  storms  and  increasing  the  likelihood of events like
 tornadoes and heavy precipitation. These conditions underscore the ongo-
 ing need for preparedness in the face of increasingly  volatile  weather
 patterns.
   §  2.  This  act enacts into law components of legislation relating to
 disaster relief for extreme weather events in Central  New  York,  long-
 term  climate  resilience property improvements, and insurance discounts
 for climate mitigation efforts. Each component is wholly contained with-
 in a Part identified as Parts A through C. The effective date  for  each
 particular provision contained within such Part is set forth in the last
 section  of  such  Part. Any provision in any section contained within a
 Part, including the effective date of the Part, which makes reference to
 a section "of this act", when used in connection  with  that  particular
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11866-02-5

 S. 7761                             2
 
 component,  shall  be  deemed  to  mean  and  refer to the corresponding
 section of the Part in which it is found. Section four of this act  sets
 forth the general effective date of this act.
 
                                  PART A
 
   Section  1.  Central  New  York  extreme weather relief and resiliency
 grant program. 1. There is  hereby  established  the  central  New  York
 extreme weather relief and resiliency grant program to provide grants to
 certain persons and entities that suffered damage from covered events.
   2. For the purposes of this section, the term "covered event" includes
 tornadoes  that  occurred  on  July  16, 2024 and extreme winter weather
 events which brought heavy winds, ice, and/or snow that occurred between
 January 6, 2025 and February 25, 2025,  in  Oneida,  Madison,  Herkimer,
 Onondaga, Otsego, and adjacent counties.
   3. (a) Small businesses, farms, owners of multiple dwellings, homeown-
 ers'  associations,  and  not-for-profit  organizations  that  sustained
 direct physical damage as a result of a covered  extreme  weather  event
 are  eligible  to  apply  for  a grant under this program to be used for
 storm-related repairs and  restoration  to  structures,  equipment,  and
 other  storm-related  costs  which are not covered by any other federal,
 state or local recovery program or third-party payors.
   (b) Such grant shall be in an amount  of  no  more  than  $30,000  for
 owners  of  multiple dwellings and no more than $100,000 for small busi-
 nesses, farms, homeowners' associations and not-for-profit corporations;
 provided, however, that the aggregate amount of all  grants  distributed
 under the grant program shall not exceed $25,000,000.
   (c)  The  empire  state  development  corporation shall administer the
 grant program. Such corporation is hereby empowered to  establish  grant
 guidelines  and  additional  eligibility  criteria,  based  on available
 extreme weather damage data provided by applicable state and/or  federal
 agencies, as it deems necessary to effectuate the administration of this
 program.  In administering such grant program, the empire state develop-
 ment corporation shall give preference to  applicants  that  demonstrate
 the greatest need.
   4. (a) Owners of residences that sustained direct physical damage as a
 result  of  covered  extreme  weather events are eligible to apply for a
 grant under this subdivision.
   (b) Such grant shall be in an amount of no more than $60,000 and shall
 be used for storm-related repairs and restoration to structures,  equip-
 ment,  and  for other storm-related costs, all of which were not covered
 by any other federal, state or local recovery program or any third-party
 payors; provided, however, that  the  aggregate  amount  of  all  grants
 distributed under the grant program shall not exceed $15,000,000.
   (c)  The  empire  state  development corporation shall administer this
 grant program. Such corporation is hereby empowered to  establish  grant
 guidelines  and  additional  eligibility  criteria,  based  on available
 extreme weather damage data provided by applicable state and/or  federal
 agencies, as it deems necessary to effectuate the administration of this
 program.  In administering such grant program, the empire state develop-
 ment corporation shall give preference to applicants  demonstrating  the
 greatest need.
   5.  (a)  Counties, cities, towns, villages, and special districts that
 sustained direct physical damage as a result of covered extreme  weather
 events are eligible to apply for a grant under this subdivision.
 S. 7761                             3
 
   (b)  Such  grant  shall be in an amount of no more than $1,000,000 and
 shall be used for storm-related repairs  and  restoration  to  municipal
 infrastructure  and  systems  and  for  snow and tornado-related climate
 resiliency improvements. Eligible projects may include road  and  bridge
 hardening  against  wind  and  ice,  backup energy generation, snow load
 mitigation for public buildings, culvert and  drainage  system  improve-
 ments,  emergency response infrastructure upgrades, and similar improve-
 ments; provided, however,  that  the  aggregate  amount  of  all  grants
 distributed under the grant program shall not exceed $25,000,000.
   (c)  The  empire  state  development corporation shall administer this
 grant program. Such corporation is hereby empowered to  establish  grant
 guidelines  and  additional  eligibility  criteria,  based  on available
 extreme weather damage data provided by applicable state and/or  federal
 agencies, as it deems necessary to effectuate the administration of this
 program.  In administering such grant program, the empire state develop-
 ment corporation shall give preference to applicants  demonstrating  the
 greatest need.
   6.  (a)  Municipalities  and  special  districts that sustained direct
 physical damage from extreme weather events between January 1, 2024, and
 March 31, 2025, are eligible to apply for additional grants  under  this
 subdivision.
   (b) Such grants shall not exceed $1,000,000 per applicant.
   (c) Grants shall be used for repairs and resilience upgrades to public
 infrastructure  and systems affected by snow and tornado-related climate
 events, including but not limited to  road  and  bridge  reinforcements,
 improved drainage and de-icing infrastructure, backup power systems, and
 public shelter facilities.
   (d)  All  grants  must  be  used for storm-related costs not otherwise
 covered by any federal, state or local recovery program  or  third-party
 payors.
   (e)  The  empire  state  development corporation shall administer this
 program, which shall not exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate.
   § 2. Municipalities participating in  the  central  New  York  extreme
 weather  relief  and  resiliency grant program may issue bonds and notes
 pursuant to subdivision 33-d of paragraph a  of  section  11.00  of  the
 local  finance law to finance grants, infrastructure recovery, and miti-
 gation authorized pursuant to this act.
   § 3. The empire state development corporation is authorized to reallo-
 cate any funds remaining from other programs or unallocated to carry out
 the purposes of this act.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately and  shall  be  deemed  to
 have been in full force and effect on and after January 1, 2024.
 
                                  PART B
 
   Section  1.  Expanded  resilient and ready program. 1. There is hereby
 established the  expanded  resilient  and  ready  program,  which  shall
 include the expanded rapid response home repair program and the expanded
 resilient retrofits program, to provide grants to homeowners impacted by
 extreme  weather  events  and  to  provide  long-term climate resilience
 improvements for snow and tornado-related weather hazards. Such  program
 shall  be an expansion of the New York state homes and community renewal
 resilient retrofit program and shall be administered in the same  manner
 as such program is administered.
 S. 7761                             4
 
   2. For the purposes of this section, the term "extreme weather events"
 includes,  but  is  not  limited to, tornadoes and winter weather events
 which bring heavy winds, ice, and/or snow.
   3.  (a)  The New York state homes and community renewal rapid response
 home repair program shall be expanded to provide immediate assistance in
 the form of grants to homeowners impacted by extreme weather events,  as
 such term is defined in this section.
   (b)  Such  grants  shall  be  in an amount of no more than $25,000 per
 household and shall be used for emergency structural repairs,  including
 but not limited to roofing, electrical, and heating systems.
   (c)  The expanded rapid response home repair program shall be adminis-
 tered by the division of housing and community renewal,  in  partnership
 with  local  governments  and  emergency management offices, in the same
 manner as the  rapid  response  home  repair  program  is  administered;
 provided,  however, that local administrators shall be pre-authorized to
 deploy funds within 30 days of a disaster declaration to  ensure  timely
 response.
   4. (a) The New York state homes and community renewal resilient retro-
 fits  program  shall be expanded to support long-term climate resilience
 improvements for snow and tornado-related weather hazards.
   (b) Grants provided by the  expanded  program  shall  support  climate
 resilience improvements, including but not limited to: tornado-resistant
 roofing systems, reinforced foundations, snow load-rated roof reinforce-
 ments, enhanced insulation, ice dam prevention systems, impact-resistant
 windows, storm shutters, and residential storm shelters.
   (c)  The expanded resilient retrofits program shall be administered in
 the same manner as the New York state homes and community renewal resil-
 ient retrofits program is administered.  In administering such  expanded
 program,  preference shall be given to low- and moderate-income homeown-
 ers.
   (d) Participation in the expanded rapid response home  repair  program
 may  make  applicants  eligible  for property/casualty insurance premium
 reductions based on risk mitigation.
   5. Funds in the amount of $50,000,000, or so much thereof  as  may  be
 available,  shall  be  allocated  to  the  expanded  resilient and ready
 program to support expansion of the New York state homes  and  community
 renewal  rapid response home repair program and the New York state homes
 and community renewal resilient retrofits program.
   § 2. Municipalities participating in the expanded resilient and  ready
 program  may issue bonds and notes pursuant to subdivision 33-d of para-
 graph a of section 11.00 of the local finance  law  to  finance  grants,
 infrastructure recovery, and mitigation authorized pursuant to this act.
   § 3. The empire state development corporation is authorized to reallo-
 cate any funds remaining from other programs or unallocated to carry out
 the purposes of this act.
   §  4.  This  act  shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to
 have been in full force and effect on and after January 1, 2024.
 
                                  PART C
 
   Section 1. Central New  York  property/casualty  insurance  resiliency
 incentive  program.  1. There is hereby established the central New York
 property/casualty insurance resiliency incentive program  to  facilitate
 property/casualty insurance discounts for mitigation efforts.
   2.  (a)  Property/casualty  insurers  authorized to do business in New
 York state are encouraged to offer loss mitigation tools and services to
 S. 7761                             5

 policyholders for free or reduced cost, including smart water  monitors,
 shutoff  devices,  and  electrical fire sensors; provided, however, that
 the offering of such loss mitigation tools  and  services  for  free  or
 reduced  cost  shall be subject to subsection (a) of section 2324 of the
 insurance law and shall be offered in compliance with such subsection.
   (b) Where the market value of such loss mitigation tools and  services
 exceeds  $25,  the  offering  of such loss mitigation tools and services
 shall be specified in the insurance policy and shall have  a  legitimate
 nexus  to  the insurance coverage provided pursuant to subsection (a) of
 section 1113 and sections 1106 and 1610 of the insurance law.
   3. (a) The department of financial  services  may  issue  guidance  to
 ensure  loss  mitigation  tools  and  services  offered pursuant to this
 section are: related to risk  reduction,  appropriately  disclosed,  and
 uniformly  provided  to  like  insureds  in a fair and nondiscriminatory
 manner.
   (b) Insurers shall specify in policy forms what loss mitigation  tools
 and  services  are  being offered, who pays for such tools and services,
 and any applicable conditions or limits.
   4. Insurers, the New York Property Insurance Underwriting  Association
 (NYPIUA),  and  rate  service  organizations  (RSOs) shall file with the
 department of financial services actuarially appropriate discounts for:
   (a) Installation of devices or systems that mitigate or prevent  loss-
 es,  including  snow load alarms, ice dam prevention systems, and torna-
 do-resistant features; and
   (b)  Retrofitting  property  with  storm-resistant  roofing   systems,
 impact-resistant  windows,  storm  shutters,  or  reinforced  structural
 elements specific to snow or tornado events, pursuant to  sections  2346
 and 2346-a of the insurance law and 11 NYCRR § 160.6.
   5.  The  department of financial services shall monitor compliance and
 may adopt rules and regulations to ensure consistent application of this
 section.
   § 2. Municipalities participating in  the  central  New  York  extreme
 weather  relief  and  resiliency grant program may issue bonds and notes
 pursuant to subdivision 33-d of paragraph a  of  section  11.00  of  the
 local  finance law to finance grants, infrastructure recovery, and miti-
 gation authorized pursuant to this act.
   § 3. The empire state development corporation is authorized to reallo-
 cate any funds remaining from other programs or unallocated to carry out
 the purposes of this act.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately and  shall  be  deemed  to
 have been in full force and effect on and after January 1, 2024.
   § 3. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi-
 sion,  section  or  part  of  this act shall be adjudged by any court of
 competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment  shall  not  affect,
 impair,  or  invalidate  the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in
 its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph,  subdivision,  section
 or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judg-
 ment shall have been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of
 the  legislature  that  this  act  would  have been enacted even if such
 invalid provisions had not been included herein.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately  provided,  however,  that
 the  applicable effective date of Parts A through C of this act shall be
 as specifically set forth in the last section of such Parts.

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