Storms and flooding in recent years have caused millions of dollars in damage to Kentucky homes.

House Bill 256 would encourage the building of stronger homes to prevent some of that damage and save money in the long term.

Our June Lefler has more.

Representative Michael Sarge Pollock is sponsoring and House Bill 256, which would create the Strengthen Kentucky Homes Program.

Over the past three years, Kentuckians have experienced significant natural disasters here in the state of Kentucky.

Tornadoes flood March 3rd of last year, 70 mile an hour winds resulting in thousands of insurance claims to repair damaged homes, but also loss of economic activity and in some extreme cases, injuries and loss of life.

Other states, mainly on the coast, have begun to build their housing stock to to a standard meant to withstand the severe weather events.

The Insurance Institute for Business in Home Safety has outlined how to build a fortified home that can withstand some severe gusts and storms.

PRINCE Between a roof that's going on every day here in Kentucky and a fortified roof.

It's very simple.

It's just a change in the way that things are applied.

And it's also a ceiling or a second water barrier to the decking.

So not going to go too far into the weeds.

But everybody knows on your roof you've got decking sheets of plywood or OSB.

There's a space between that decking that has to be there because it has to be able to contract and expand with heat.

When shingles loss is experienced in 70 mile an hour winds and there's a rain event at the same time that water pours in between that crack and it amplifies the damage that that structure would have seen had that water stayed out.

So fortified puts a secondary water barrier or basically it just keeps the water out of the crack between the two pieces of wood.

Homeowners, builders and charitable organizations would be eligible for money to help make these improvements, and once they do, they're able to get more affordable insurance options.

According to the bill, the House Committee on Banking and Insurance approved the bill unanimously.

Chair Michael Meredith said this bill will likely head to an Appropriations and Revenue committee as it sets up a designated fund for Kentucky.

Edition of June Leffler.