As released by the Office of Representative Mike Sturla:

HARRISBURG, Jan. 24 – Policy Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, announced today the House Democratic Policy Committee will hold a public hearing on the impact that the federal Biggert-Waters Act will have on flood insurance in Pennsylvania from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27 in room 418 of the Main Capitol Building.

State Reps. Rick Mirabito, D-Lycoming, and Kevin Haggerty, D-Lackawanna, requested the hearing and will serve as co-chairs. The hearing will gather additional information on the crisis to determine how Pennsylvania could help protect affected homeowners. All House members have been invited to attend.

In response to massive flood events that left the federal flood insurance program deeply in debt, Congress passed the Biggert-Waters Act in 2012 to reduce flood insurance subsidies for owners of oft-flooded homes. However, the result in communities across the Commonwealth has been skyrocketing insurance costs for homeowners and declining home values. Congress recently acted to delay the premium increases of grandfathered policies until the end of fiscal year through September 2014.

The current hearing agenda is:

11 a.m. – Welcome and opening remarks

11:10 a.m. – Kim Skumanick, president, Pennsylvania Association of Realtors

11:30 a.m. – Panel one:

• Jeff Smead, homeowner, Lycoming County
• Rich Chowanec, homeowner, Lackawanna County
• Shirley Kalinwoski, homeowner, Lackawanna County
• Courtney Homemchak, homeowner, Lackawanna County

12:10 p.m. – Panel two:

• Aron Carter, senior vice president/Enterprise Risk Management, Penns Wood Bancorp, Inc.
• John Frey, vice president/chief compliance officer, Jersey Shore State Bank
• Beth Brown, certified housing counselor, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of NEPA
• John Eck, chairman of Township Supervisors, Old Lycoming Township

12:50 p.m. – Closing remarks