Disaster Assistance Simplification Act

Summary

Requires FEMA to build a single, unified intake and application system for people and organizations seeking federal disaster assistance. The system must accept applications, let applicants track and update information, share necessary data with authorized disaster agencies under privacy and security rules, and include reporting requirements to Congress. Sets deadlines and procedures for agency certification to access the system, allows FEMA to waive certain requirements during declared disasters, and requires FEMA to adopt data-sharing, security, and privacy protections and to report to Congress on implementation and use.

• Mandates FEMA create a single, centralized intake and application system for federal disaster assistance.
• System must accept applications, let applicants track and update information, and securely share data with authorized agencies.
• FEMA must set rules for data sharing, privacy, and security and require agency certification before access.
• FEMA may waive certain access/certification rules during declared disasters to speed assistance.
• FEMA must implement the system within a required timeframe and report to Congress on implementation and use.
• The system covers people and organizations seeking federal disaster help, including individuals, local governments, nonprofits, and businesses.
• Privacy and security protections are required alongside data-sharing capabilities.
• The law focuses on process, interoperability, and oversight rather than specifying funding in the provided summary.