Disaster Assistance Simplification Act

The Disaster Assistance Simplification Act mandates the creation of a unified intake process and system for federal disaster assistance applicants. This system, to be established by the FEMA Administrator within 360 days, will facilitate a consolidated application for various disaster assistance programs, aiming to deliver aid swiftly and efficiently to survivors.

The unified system will allow applicants to track their application status, update information, and receive details on additional recovery resources. It also supports the distribution of application data for faster aid delivery and enables direct communication between agencies and survivors, while also aiding in the detection and prevention of waste, fraud, and abuse.

To enable effective information sharing, the Administrator is authorized to collect, maintain, disclose, and use disaster assistance information among certified agencies. This sharing requires public notice detailing the information, its necessity, fair practices, and involved agencies, with application submission serving as consent for disclosure under the Privacy Act.

The bill includes robust data security measures, requiring the unified application to comply with federal security standards and undergo a privacy impact assessment. Certified disaster assistance agencies must adhere to strict rules for information handling, personnel training, and breach notification, assuming responsibility for any improper disclosures.

Furthermore, the Act allows for waivers of the Paperwork Reduction Act for disaster-specific data collection, ensuring transparency. It also clarifies that this information sharing is not considered a "matching program" under the Privacy Act and does not create new assistance programs, focusing solely on streamlining existing ones. FEMA and GAO are required to submit reports and briefings to Congress on the implementation and impact of these new provisions.