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HB05317 • 2026

AN ACT DEFINING "MORTGAGE LOAN" FOR PURPOSES OF CERTAIN NOTICE PROVISIONS RELATING TO FLOOD DAMAGE AND INSURANCE.

AN ACT DEFINING "MORTGAGE LOAN" FOR PURPOSES OF CERTAIN NOTICE PROVISIONS RELATING TO FLOOD DAMAGE AND INSURANCE.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Banking Committee
Last action
2026-03-23
Official status
File Number 111
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the format or signature requirement of the notice, which were included in the candidate explanation.

Defining Mortgage Loan for Flood Insurance Notices

This act defines a mortgage loan specifically for flood insurance notice requirements and limits the circumstances under which creditors must provide these notices.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines 'mortgage loan' as one secured by a first mortgage on residential property with up to four units, used to finance its purchase.
  • Requires creditors to notify applicants about flood damage risks before closing on certain types of mortgage loans.
  • Limits the notice requirement to specific mortgage transactions involving the purchase of residential real estate.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Mortgage loan applicants for one-to-four family residential properties.
  • Creditors providing mortgages on such properties.

Terms To Know

mortgage loan
A loan secured by a first mortgage on residential property used to finance its purchase.
creditor
An entity that provides a mortgage loan, such as a bank or financial institution.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact content of the notice beyond mentioning flood risks.
  • It is unclear how compliance with these requirements will be enforced.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-23 LCO

    Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office

  2. 2026-03-23 Connecticut General Assembly

    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House

  3. 2026-03-23 Connecticut General Assembly

    House Calendar Number 105

  4. 2026-03-23 LCO

    File Number 111

  5. 2026-03-16 LCO

    Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/23/26 12:00 PM

  6. 2026-03-10 BA

    Joint Favorable

  7. 2026-03-10 LCO

    Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office

  8. 2026-02-27 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 03/03

  9. 2026-02-26 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Banking

Official Summary Text

To define "mortgage loan" for purposes of certain notice provisions relating to flood damage and insurance.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
House of Representatives
HB5317 / File No. 111 1

General Assembly File No. 111
February Session, 2026 House Bill No. 5317

House of Representatives, March 23, 2026

The Committee on Banking reported through REP. DOUCETTE
of the 13th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of
the House, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT DEFINING "MORTGAGE LOAN" FOR PURPOSES OF
CERTAIN NOTICE PROVISIONS RELATING TO FLOOD DAMAGE
AND INSURANCE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 49-7b of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes 1
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 2
1, 2026): 3
(a) For purposes of this section, "mortgage loan" means a loan that is 4
(1) secured by a first mortgage on one -to-four-family residential real 5
property located in this state, and (2) made for the purpose of financing 6
the purchase of such property. 7
[(a)] (b) Not later than ten days prior to the date of the closing in a 8
mortgage loan transaction, each creditor, as defined in section 49 -6a, 9
shall notify the mortgage loan applicant, in writing, that: (1) Standard 10
homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage and related 11
losses; (2) flood damage to property may occur regardless of whether 12
HB5317 File No. 111

HB5317 / File No. 111 2

the real property is located in a designated flood zone; and (3) the 13
applicant may wish to consult a licensed insurance producer or surplus 14
lines broker concerning the availability and benefits of obtaining flood 15
insurance. 16
[(b)] (c) The notice required by subsection [(a)] (b) of this section shall 17
be written in plain language and signed and dated by the mortgage loan 18
applicant to acknowledge receipt of such notice. Each creditor shall keep 19
and maintain a copy of such notice with the mortgage loan applicant's 20
mortgage records. 21
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 49-7b

BA Joint Favorable

HB5317 File No. 111

HB5317 / File No. 111 3

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill limits flood notice requirements to mortgage loan applicants
for only certain types of mortgages. This has no fiscal impact to the state
or municipalities as they are not parties to mortgage loans.

HB5317 File No. 111

HB5317 / File No. 111 4

OLR Bill Analysis
HB 5317

AN ACT DEFINING "MORTGAGE LOAN" FOR PURPOSES OF
CERTAIN NOTICE PROVISIONS RELATING TO FLOOD DAMAGE
AND INSURANCE.

SUMMARY
This bill narrows the circumstances under which a creditor must give
a mortgage loan applicant a plain language notice about flood
insurance. Current law requires creditors to do so at least 10 days before
closing on any mortgage loan transaction. The bill limits this notice
requirement to apply only when the mortgage loan application is to
finance buying a one-to-four family residential real property that is
secured by a first mortgage.
Creditors subject to the law , unchanged by the bill, include state or
federal banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, correspondent lenders,
or other financial institutions.
By law, unchanged by the bill, the written notice must state that (1)
standard homeowners ’ policies do not cover flood related losses, (2)
flood damage can happen regardless of whether the property is in a
designated flood zone, and (3) the applicant may want to consult an
insurance producer or surplus lines broker about flood insurance
availability and benefits.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026
COMMITTEE ACTION
Banking Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 13 Nay 0 (03/10/2026)