ACCURATE Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8407
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-21: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-28T08:06:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 8407 (ACCURATE Act)
Purpose
This bill directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology to create an advisory commission focused on improving the consistency, quality, and reliability of tools used by federal agencies to assess risks from natural hazards such as floods, wildfires, and earthquakes. The goal is to standardize how these tools are developed, validated, and purchased, particularly those involving private sector models.
Key Provisions
- Commission Establishment: Creates the Commission on Hazard Risk Assessment Tools within 180 days, with the Under Secretary or designee as chairperson. The commission operates in an advisory role and must terminate after five years.
- Commission Duties:
- Identify common hazard risk assessment tools (such as hazard maps, flood maps, and risk scores) used or bought by federal agencies.
- Catalog key data sources, including natural hazard frequency, built environment details, and mitigation practices.
- Recommend standards for validating tool quality, including data inputs, model assumptions, and output checks.
- Develop standardized methods for collecting and analyzing data.
- Assess current tool quality needs and suggest best practices for federal procurement, including potential updates to federal acquisition rules.
- Require the Under Secretary to review and potentially adopt or modify recommendations within 180 days, with authority to issue guidance to agencies.
- Membership and Rules: Includes representatives from federal agencies, state and local emergency groups, FEMA, industries (insurance, banking, utilities, construction, real estate, transportation), community organizations, academia, and experts in emergency management, modeling, and artificial intelligence. Requires conflict-of-interest disclosures and recusal where needed.
- Reporting Requirements: Mandates three reports to congressional committees: one on tool sources and usage (within 9 months), one on commission findings (within 18 months), and one on the effectiveness of new standards (within 36 months).
- Agency Requirements: Federal agencies must use adopted standards when buying or using private sector tools, with exceptions for cases without applicable standards or during national emergencies (requiring notification to Congress). Providers must document compliance.
- Definitions: Clarifies terms such as "built environment" (man-made structures and infrastructure), "hazard risk" (exposure to natural hazard losses over time), "hazard risk assessment tools" (products like maps and scores), "natural hazards" (extreme weather or seismic events), and "material change" (significant model updates).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill introduces new requirements for federal agencies to follow standardized validation and procurement practices for hazard risk tools, which may necessitate updates to the Federal Acquisition Regulations. It does not repeal or directly amend prior statutes but establishes a framework for voluntary or directed adoption of best practices in this area.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Federal departments and agencies would face new procurement guidelines and documentation requirements, potentially leading to more uniform risk assessments across agencies like FEMA.
- Citizens: Improved tool reliability could enhance hazard preparedness, insurance pricing, community planning, and infrastructure decisions, though access to standardized tools might vary by location.
- International Relations: No direct effects identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal agencies involved in hazard modeling or procurement.
- State and local emergency response and regulatory bodies.
- Private sector entities, including insurance, banking, utilities, construction, real estate, and transportation industries.
- Non-governmental organizations representing urban and rural communities.
- Academic institutions and researchers focused on hazard modeling or artificial intelligence applications.
- Providers of hazard risk assessment tools and models.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The legislation creates an advisory body with conflict-of-interest safeguards to ensure impartial recommendations, which could support transparent federal decision-making. It includes limited exceptions for emergency use, requiring congressional notification, and emphasizes private sector compliance documentation. No constitutional concerns are evident, and the bill appears to promote cross-sector collaboration without mandating new funding or regulatory overhauls.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Franklin, Scott [R-FL-18]
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1], Rep. Miller, Max L. [R-OH-7], Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-21: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 2026-04-21: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-21: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Advancing Consistent and Credible Use of Risk Assessment Tools and Evaluation Act — issued 2026-04-21 — PDF (14 pages)