TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s State Senate has passed the two measures addressing property insurance Tuesday evening, according to Spectrum News' Greg Angel. 

The two measures are named 2-D and 4-D, and they, if passed by the House in their current state, would prevent insurance companies from denying coverage of homes based on the roof's age. They would also allow for $150 million in matching grants for "home hardening," as well as authorize $2 billion in additional funding for the state's Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. 

“It’s looking more and more likely the Senate could be done as soon as tonight, and the House putting a bow on the bills as early as tomorrow,” Angel reported on Twitter.

The current bills have already been read through twice. 

In addition to the required bill readings, 20 amendments have been rejected by the chamber, and three were accepted. 

Senators have the option to call for the third reading of the bills earlier than anticipated on Tuesday, which would allow the bills to go to a vote in the Senate. Once that happens, the bills would go to the House with its amendments for consideration. 

Early Tuesday, state legislators decided to also include a bill that would address the 2021 Surfside collapse. This bill originated in the House, and is aimed at ensuring that buildings three stories or more in height receive a special inspection after it becomes 30 years old. The measure also requires each building receive a similar inspection every 10 years after it turns 30. Those requirements change if a building is within three miles of a coastline. If that is true, then the inspections begin on that building's 25th year. 

The measure also includes language that restricts the length of time that an individual can serve on the board of a building as well. 

HB5-D was filed Tuesday, and has been referred to the House Appropriations Committee, where it is currently being considered. 

“We will never forget the pain, confusion, and sorrow the community and state felt when the Surfside condominium building collapsed and took 98 lives with it,” Speaker Chris Sprowls said about the need to add more legislation regarding the matter. 

“The Florida Legislature has grappled with reaching a consensus on what meaningful reform looks like, but today we have arrived at an agreement that will help to ensure this kind of tragedy never happens again,” he continued.

“Notably, the Surfside legislation will include a House-championed reserve that is required to be fully funded by condominium owners and boards to ensure that repairs and maintenance can be covered and not put off until it’s too late. The victims, survivors, and their families deserve reform with integrity and real impact, and that is and always has been our commitment to the people of Surfside and residents of Florida,” he concluded.

The two main bills under consideration for the “D” special session this week passed the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier than expected on Monday. Nearly all members of the committee vote in favor of the measures. 

Several issues have contributed to rising insurance rates in the state, including high rates of insurance litigation that drive up premiums and massive underwriting losses for insurance companies that have resulted in insolvency or canceled policies, among other things.

Bob Rickey, with Tampa’s American Integrity Insurance Group, said lawmakers have to do something to bring down soaring costs that have created chaos in the insurance market.

“We sure as hell can control the fraud part in insurance,” Rickey said. “And the average premium in the state of Florida is $3,600. I would say to you at least a third of that premium over the last seven years have developed because of the legal fraud and we’ve got to help homeowners.”

Rickey said he sees a simple solution.

He said insurance companies should mandate roof evaluations along the way, so it's easy to spot when there's average wear and tear, which is not covered by homeowners insurance, and when there's actual damage caused by something like a storm, which is covered.

That would take help from lawmakers to happen, though. Lawmakers will discuss ways to speed up reimbursements to insurers on hurricane losses, improving accessibility and protecting policyholders from non-renewal, and preventing those fraud claims.

Rickey says these changes can't come fast enough for Florida homeowners. “When I’m seeing folks who can’t afford their insurance anymore, the calls I’m getting from homeowners having to decide whether to put food on their table or pay for a couple hundred dollars a month increase in their homeowners insurances, families going without insurance, I shudder at that,” Rickey said.