Florida Supports Mississippi Flood Suit
Governor Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater announced that Florida will file an amicus brief in support of the Mississippi Department of Insurance’s suit seeking to delay implementation of rate increases in the federal flood insurance program. Attorney General Bondi indicated that supporting the Mississippi action might result in a faster decision than if Florida were to pursue its own action.
Governor Scott also has called on the Obama administration to spearhead a delay in implementing the rate increases. “We’re going to have families lose their homes because their insurance rates are going to go up because the president signed a bill that didn’t make any sense,” Scott said, after writing President Obama on the topic earlier in the week.
One of the Mississippi department’s allegations is that FEMA has failed to provide an affordability study on the rate increases, which should justify delaying implementation of the increases. FEMA has indicated that the law does not allow for a postponement. “I need help. I have not found a way to delay…without some additional legislative support,” said FEMA Administrator Carig Fugate. “There is no provision for affordability in this law.”