Requires the director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency and the Rhode Island commerce commission to develop and implement a plan to assist businesses in obtaining flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance program.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would require two Rhode Island state agencies — the Emergency Management Agency and the Commerce Commission — to work together to create a plan that helps local businesses get flood insurance through a federal program called the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP is a federally backed program that provides flood insurance to property owners, renters, and businesses in participating communities. Right now, many businesses may not know how to access this program or may face barriers in doing so, and this bill directs state officials to address that gap.

Under the bill, the two agencies would be responsible for both developing the plan and actually putting it into action. The goal is to make it easier for Rhode Island businesses — particularly those in flood-prone areas — to get the financial protection they need in the event of flood damage. This could be especially important for small businesses that might struggle to recover from flood losses without insurance coverage.

This bill would primarily affect Rhode Island business owners, especially those located in areas at risk of flooding. It would also place new responsibilities on the state's Emergency Management Agency and Commerce Commission to coordinate and take action. The bill was recently introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Commerce Committee, where it has been scheduled for a hearing but is currently being held for further study, meaning it has not yet advanced toward becoming law.