HR 145 — A Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on the economic costs of flooding on residential homes and businesses in this Commonwealth.

PRINTER'S NO.    1136

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 145
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY WEBSTER, GIRAL, FREEMAN, MADDEN, VITALI, PROBST,
        HILL-EVANS, MALAGARI, SANCHEZ, KHAN AND CEPEDA-FREYTIZ,
        MARCH 25, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
        PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 25, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
 2      study on the economic costs of flooding on residential homes
 3      and businesses in this Commonwealth.
 4      WHEREAS, Flooding causes billions of dollars of damage and
 5   destroys thousands of homes all over the United States; and
 6      WHEREAS, Flooding is the most common natural disaster in this
 7   Commonwealth; and
 8      WHEREAS, According to the Federal Emergency Management
 9   Agency, just one inch of water can cause approximately $25,000
10   in damage to a home or business; and
11      WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has experienced at least three
12   major flooding events in the past 20 years, including Hurricane
13   Ivan in 2004, Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 and Hurricane Ida in
14   2021; and
15      WHEREAS, Hurricanes Ivan and Ida, along with Tropical Storm
16   Lee, caused a combined total of more than $600 million in
17   property damage; and
 1      WHEREAS, In this Commonwealth, 24 counties have an average of
 2   one flood event per year; and
 3      WHEREAS, There is no singular agency or entity that tracks
 4   and logs property damage done to residential homes and
 5   businesses as a result of flood damage; and
 6      WHEREAS, It is important to know how much flooding-related
 7   damage has been done and where the damage has typically occurred
 8   so that the Commonwealth may better target future prevention and
 9   relief efforts; therefore be it
10      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
11   State Government Commission to conduct a study on the economic
12   costs of flooding on residential homes and businesses in this
13   Commonwealth; and be it further
14      RESOLVED, That the study:
15          (1)    Focus primarily on data available for the past 20
16      years.
17          (2)    Identify trends in the costs, locations and types of
18      damage flooding causes.
19          (3)    Include recommendations on how the Commonwealth can
20      better track and log property damage from flooding.
21          (4)    Include recommendations on how the Commonwealth can
22      better target future flooding-related prevention and relief
23      efforts;
24   and be it further
25      RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission issue a
26   report of its findings and recommendations and submit the report
27   to the General Assembly no later than 12 months after the
28   adoption of this resolution.




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