KRS 304.2-450: Strengthen Kentucky Homes Program -- Purpose -- Fund --

Administrative regulations.

(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Insurable dwelling":

1. Means a dwelling located or situated on, or affixed to, residential real

estate; and

2. Includes a single-family or multifamily dwelling, including a modular

home;

(b) "SKH approved contractor" means a person that has been determined by the

commissioner pursuant to an administrative regulation promulgated in

accordance with subsection (5) of this secti on to be eligible and approved to

mitigate insurable dwellings under the Strengthen Kentucky Homes Program;

(c) "SKH online portal" means an online portal through which a person seeking

to become an SKH approved contractor is required to submit documents to the

department pursuant to an administrative regulation promulgated in

accordance with subsection (5) of this section; and

(d) "Strengthen Kentucky Homes Program" or "program" means the Strengthen

Kentucky Homes Program created in this section.

(2) The S trengthen Kentucky Homes Program is hereby created for the purpose of

providing financial grants to real property owners, SKH approved contractors, and

nonprofit organizations to assist and promote the mitigation of insurable dwellings

to resist losses due to catastrophic wind and hail events in accordance with

FORTIFIED construction standards published by the Insurance Institute for

Business and Home Safety or a successor entity.

(3) To the extent funding is available under subsection (4) of this section, the

commissioner shall implement and administer the program in accordance with this

section.

(4) (a) The Strengthen Kentucky Homes Program fund is hereby created in the State

Treasury.

(b) The following shall be deposited into the fund:

1. All grants and funds received or raised by the commissioner under

paragraph (e) of this subsection; and

2. Any appropriations made to the fund by the General Assembly.

(c) Notwithstanding KRS 45.229:

1. Moneys in the fund not expended at the close of a fiscal year shall not

lapse but shall be carried forward to the next fiscal year; and

2. Any interest earnings of the fund shall become part of the fund and shall

not lapse.

(d) Moneys in the fund are h ereby appropriated by the General Assembly and

shall be available to the commissioner for use in implementing and

administering the program, except the commissioner shall not make financial

grants under subsection (7) of this section that exceed, in aggreg ate, fifteen

thousand dollars ($15,000).

(e) The commissioner shall use his or her best efforts to seek and obtain grants or

funds from the federal government or other funding sources for deposit into

the fund to supplement any appropriations to the fund m ade by the General

Assembly.

(5) (a) Except as provided in subsection (7) of this section, the commissioner shall

promulgate administrative regulations in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A

to create and establish:

1. Application forms and procedures for seeking a financial grant;

2. The eligibility criteria, requirements, and procedures for obtaining a

financial grant, which may include but are not limited to providing

financial grants to:

a. Real property owners to mitigate owner -occupied insurable

dwellings; and

b. Nonprofit organizations to improve the wind and hail resilience of

single-family insurable dwellings occupied or owned by low -

income and moderate-income individuals;

3. If the commissioner provides financial grants to mitigate insurable

dwellings:

a. i. The building standards or techniques that are required for the

mitigation, which shall include but are not limited to

compliance with the most recent version of any applicable

FORTIFIED Home or FORTIFIED Multifamily construction

standards published by the Insurance Institute for Business

and Home Safety or a successor entity.

ii. The commissioner shall determine through the promulgation

of an administrative regulation under this subsection the

specific standards and designations that are required for any

insurable dwelling; and

b. Eligibility criteria for building contractors and evaluators that are

eligible to mitigate and inspect the insurable dwellings,

respectively, which shall include a preference for Kentucky

building contractors and evaluators; and

4. The procedures and requirements for distributing financial grants.

(b) The commissioner may promulgate administrative regulations in accordance

with KRS Chapter 13A to establish any additional rules and eligibility

requirements that are necessary f or the proper implementation and

administration of this section, including but not limited to the collection of

documentation necessary to allow for any auditing of the program that is

required under the terms of a grant or other funds received by the program.

(6) Any financial grant provided under the program to mitigate an insurable dwelling

shall be contingent upon the real property owner securing all required permits and

applicable inspections in accordance with local building codes.

(7) (a) The commissioner shall make one (1) time financial grants in accordance with

this subsection to SKH approved contractors to reimburse each contractor for

the cost of an initial certification by the Insurance Institute for Business and

Home Safety or a successor entity to act as a CERTIFIED Roofing contractor.

(b) In order to receive reimbursement under this subsection, an SKH approved

contractor shall upload the following documents through the SKH online

portal:

1. A request for reimbursement under this subsection; and

2. A receipt or other documentation from the I nsurance Institute for

Business and Home Safety or a successor entity that states:

a. The contractor's name and address, which shall match the name

and address that is on file with the department;

b. That the contractor is certified to act as a CERTIFIED R oofing

contractor;

c. The date the receipt or other documentation was issued; and

d. The cost paid for the certification referenced in subdivision b. of

this subparagraph.

(c) Upon compliance with paragraph (b) of this subsection by an SKH approved

contractor, the commissioner shall, to the extent funding is available under

subsection (4) of this section, make a one (1) time financial grant to the

contractor in the amount of the cost paid for the certification.

(d) Financial grants made under this subsectio n shall be made to SKH approved

contractors in the order that the contractors satisfy the requirements of

paragraph (b) of this subsection.

(e) Checks shall be mailed to the address of the contractor's choice.

(f) The commissioner shall not be required to establish additional forms,

procedures, or requirements, by administrative regulation or otherwise, in

order to implement, or distribute financial grants under, this subsection.

(8) Nothing in this section shall be construed to create an entitlement for pr operty

owners, SKH approved contractors, or nonprofit organizations to obtain funds for,

or obligate the state in any way to fund, or maintain funding for, any activity for

which a financial grant is permitted or provided under this section.