Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fortified Roofs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fortified‑roof option for coastal parishes debated; bill voluntarily deferred
Summary
Senator Talbot proposed letting coastal parishes adopt building-code standards that exceed statewide roof rules (aligned to fortified standards) to lower insurance claims; testimony from the insurance commissioner, evaluators, builders, and building‑officials produced debate over costs, inspections, and whether the code council will adopt similar changes — the bill was voluntarily deferred.
Senator Talbot outlined a bill April 22 that would allow coastal parishes the option to adopt roof standards stronger than the statewide building code, with an explicit focus on reducing hurricane-related insurance claims and lowering premiums through stronger, inspected roofs.
Tim Temple, Louisiana insurance commissioner, said Louisiana remains in an insurance crisis and cited modeling showing a potential indicated benchmark discount of about 29% in the Southern zone for certified fortified roofs. Temple described the fortified‑roof grant program as highly popular—thousands applied for a few hundred grants—and said stronger roofs reduce claims, speed community recovery, and lower costs over time.
Ramey Richard of Fortified Gulf Coast, an evaluator organization, and other witnesses testified about field problems: installers failing to meet inspected standards, inconsistent documentation, and the importance of photo‑geolocated documentation and standardized evaluator training. Richard said many homeowners still cannot afford fortified retrofits even with a $10,000 grant, and that roughly 25–30% of pre‑inspected applicants drop out before completing the grant process.
Opponents and building‑official witnesses (Bill Poisson and others) warned against fragmenting the statewide uniform code and said the state's current code already includes high‑wind requirements and sealed roof‑deck provisions in high‑wind zones. Poisson noted a recent law requiring inspections on all new and replacement roofs and cautioned about certification recertification cycles and long‑term maintenance costs.
Senator Talbot said he will circulate a substitute bill after the Building Code Council meets May 5; he voluntarily deferred SB 147 to align the bill with Code Council actions and stakeholder input.
