Bill Text: NJ S2607 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires DCA to compile on department's website information about post-disaster reconstruction.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-04 - Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading [S2607 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S2607-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DCA to compile on department's website information about post-disaster reconstruction.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring the Department of Community Affairs to compile on its website information about post-disaster reconstruction and supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Department of Community Affairs shall compile and post on its website an educational guide concerning the rebuilding of structures following a natural weather disaster.
The guide compiled pursuant to this section shall contain information and recommendations for property owners about the reconstruction of homes and commercial property damaged during a natural weather disaster, in order to reduce the vulnerability of those properties to damage caused by hurricanes, other wind storms, and flooding, during future natural weather disasters. The guide shall provide property owners with greater understanding and information about how to reconstruct a natural weather disaster-damaged property strongly and safely so that it may better withstand a future natural weather disaster.
The guide shall reference the requirements of the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.) and the requirements developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the reconstruction of property damaged following a natural weather disaster.
The guide shall discuss the role of municipal planning boards and boards of adjustment in the reconstruction of property damaged during a natural weather disaster.
The guide shall provide links to documents on the Internet that contain information referenced in the guide, for the convenience of property owners in their review of the information.
The guide shall also provide telephone numbers and email addresses for departments of State and federal government having information concerning the requirements for reconstructing natural weather disaster-damaged property.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Department of Community Affairs to compile and post on its website an educational guide concerning the rebuilding of structures following a natural weather disaster. The guide must contain information and recommendations for property owners about the reconstruction of homes and commercial property damaged during a natural weather disaster, so that those properties will be less vulnerable to damage caused by hurricanes, other wind storms, and flooding, during future natural weather disasters. The guide will also provide property owners with greater understanding and information about how to reconstruct a natural weather disaster-damaged property strongly and safely so that it may better withstand a future natural weather disaster.
Many New Jerseyans lost their homes to the effects of Superstorm Sandy on October 29, 2012. These property owners now face the reconstruction of their homes under requirements prescribed by the federal government, the State, and municipal planning boards. It is the intent of the sponsor that the provisions of this bill will enable property owners victimized not only by SuperStorm Sandy, but by future natural weather disasters, to understand not only the requirements of reconstruction of storm-damaged property, but also recommendations as to how to prevent, or mitigate, the effects of future storms.
