AN ACT TO CREATE THE "MAKE MISSISSIPPI RESILIENT AND STRONG ACT"; TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI WINDSTORM MITIGATION ASSOCIATION TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO PROMOTE WELFARE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE STRENGTHENING OF RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES TO PROTECT AGAINST SEVERE WEATHER; TO PROVIDE FOR GRANTS TO ASSIST IN STRENGTHENING OF RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES; TO PROVIDE FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION; TO PROVIDE FOR A BOARD OF DIRECTORS; TO PROVIDE THE POWERS OF THE ASSOCIATION; TO PROVIDE FOR THE FUNDING OF THE ASSOCIATION; TO CREATE A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY TO BE DESIGNATED THE MISSISSIPPI WINDSTORM MITIGATION ASSOCIATION FUND FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING FUNDS TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBER INSURERS SHALL BE IMMUNE FROM ACTS OR OMISSIONS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES; TO AMEND SECTION 83-5-73, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ALL MEMBER INSURERS TO PAY A SUPPLEMENTAL FEE TO FUND THE ASSOCIATION; TO AMEND SECTION 83-34-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE MISSISSIPPI WINDSTORM UNDERWRITING ASSOCIATION TO CONTRACT WITH A THIRD PARTY FOR THE DETERMINATION OF GRANT AWARDS; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 83-34-1 THROUGH 83-34-4 AND 83-34-7 THROUGH 83-34-37, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH RELATE TO THE MISSISSIPPI WINDSTORM UNDERWRITING ASSOCIATION, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 83-1-191, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH CREATES THE COMPREHENSIVE HURRICANE DAMAGE MITIGATION PROGRAM, FOR PURPOSES OF AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 83-1-201, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH CREATES THE MISSISSIPPI WINDSTORM MITIGATION FUND, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 27-15-103 AND 27-15-109, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH REQUIRE THE ASSESSMENT OF A PREMIUM TAX ON FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC INSURANCE COMPANIES, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
HB1714 creates the “Make Mississippi Resilient and Strong Act,” a new state framework aimed at reducing windstorm damage to homes and commercial property. It establishes the Mississippi Windstorm Mitigation Association, a nonprofit entity made up of member insurers, to administer a grant program for retrofitting insurable property to approved mitigation standards. Eligible property owners may apply for grants to strengthen structures against hurricanes, tornadoes, and other catastrophic wind events, with grants capped at $15,000 per property. The bill ties grant eligibility to recognized mitigation standards, including standards associated with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety and other approved techniques recommended by the Mississippi Windstorm Mitigation Coordinating Council and the Insurance Commissioner.
The bill also creates a dedicated Mississippi Windstorm Mitigation Association Fund in the State Treasury and finances the association through a supplemental $25 fee paid by member insurers for filing and processing an agent’s certificate of authority. It gives the association authority to contract, borrow, sue and be sued, hire staff, and contract with third parties to determine grant awards. The association is placed under the Insurance Commissioner’s oversight, must submit a plan of operation, and must file annual reports with the commissioner and PEER. The bill also grants broad immunity from liability to member insurers, the association, board members, and the commissioner for actions taken under the act.
In addition to creating the new grant program, HB1714 amends existing insurance statutes to integrate the new funding mechanism and to expand mitigation-related authority. It amends Section 83-5-73 to add the supplemental fee, and Section 83-34-5 to allow the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association to contract with third parties for grant determinations. It also brings forward and references multiple existing provisions governing the Windstorm Underwriting Association, the Comprehensive Hurricane Damage Mitigation Program, the Windstorm Mitigation Fund, and premium tax statutes for foreign and domestic insurers. The bill preserves the existing windstorm insurance and mitigation structure while adding a new association focused specifically on property hardening and resilience.
The general sentiment reflected in the available legislative history appears favorable, at least in the House, where the bill passed 80-39. The bill’s stated purpose—reducing storm losses, encouraging stronger construction, and supporting economic development through resilience—suggests a policy goal likely to appeal to coastal and weather-exposed areas of the state. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate detailed support or opposition arguments beyond the vote itself.
The main points of potential contention are likely the funding mechanism and the scope of insurer involvement. The bill requires all member insurers to pay a supplemental fee and subjects them to participation in the new association, while also granting broad immunity and administrative discretion. Property owners and insurers may also differ over whether the grant cap, eligibility standards, and use of third-party award determinations are sufficient or too restrictive. Another possible issue is overlap with existing mitigation programs and the extent to which the new association duplicates or expands current state efforts rather than consolidating them.
HB1714 would add a new chapter of insurance-related law establishing the Mississippi Windstorm Mitigation Association and a new special fund, while also amending existing insurance fee and windstorm-association statutes. It would impose a new supplemental fee on member insurers, authorize the association to administer grants for retrofitting insurable property, and place the program under the oversight of the Insurance Commissioner and reporting requirements to PEER. The bill would also affect the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association by authorizing third-party grant determinations and by linking the new mitigation effort to existing windstorm insurance, reinsurance, and premium-tax provisions. Affected parties include property owners seeking retrofit grants, property insurers required to fund the program, and state insurance regulators overseeing implementation.
The available voting history indicates the bill received majority support in the House, passing 80-39, which suggests meaningful but not unanimous backing. The bill’s resilience and storm-preparedness goals are likely to have broad appeal in a state exposed to hurricanes and severe wind events. Because no committee discussion transcript is provided, there is no direct record of detailed praise or criticism, but the vote count suggests the measure was generally viewed positively while still drawing substantial concern from a sizable minority.
Likely areas of contention include the new fee imposed on member insurers, the extent to which insurers are required to participate in and fund the association, and whether the grant program’s benefits justify the administrative structure created. Some lawmakers or stakeholders may question the overlap with existing windstorm mitigation and underwriting programs, the use of a third party to determine grant awards, and the broad immunity provisions shielding the association and insurers from liability. Others may also debate whether the $15,000 grant cap and the bill’s eligibility standards adequately target the properties most in need of mitigation assistance.