Senate Bill 1198 (sSB1198 File No. 569) is designed to improve the indoor air quality in school buildings by implementing the recommendations of the School Indoor Air Quality Working Group. The bill repeals and replaces Section 370 of public act 22-118 and establishes a working group to study and make recommendations on various aspects of indoor air quality, including optimal humidity and temperature ranges, emergency conditions for school closures, criteria for HVAC repair prioritization, performance benchmarks for HVAC systems, protocols for addressing air quality complaints, inspection frequency, and best practices for HVAC maintenance. The bill includes insertions that specify the frequency and scope of HVAC maintenance and establish a system for the equitable distribution of funds under the HVAC grant program. It also renumbers subsequent criteria and proposals for legislation to carry out these recommendations. The working group will consist of appointed members from health, education, labor, and environmental sectors and must submit a report by July 1, 2024, with the group terminating on that date or upon report submission, whichever is later. The Department of Administrative Services is tasked with establishing an electronic portal for receiving and posting reports and results of school building indoor air quality and HVAC system inspections.

The bill also mandates local or regional boards of education to provide a uniform inspection and evaluation program for the indoor air quality in school buildings constructed, extended, renovated, or replaced on or after January 1, 2003. These inspections must include a review of HVAC systems, radon levels, microbiological airborne particles, and hazardous substances, with results made public and submitted to the Department of Administrative Services. Additionally, the bill requires an inspection and evaluation of HVAC systems every five years by a certified technician, industrial hygienist, or mechanical engineer. The bill authorizes an additional $300 million in state bonds for school air quality improvements and requires the Commissioner of Public Health to develop guidelines for optimal thermal comfort in school buildings. The fiscal impact statement indicates costs to the state and municipalities, with state debt service expected to be approximately $465.4 million over 20 years and municipal costs for inspections anticipated to be no more than $2,500 per school. The bill delays the deadline for districts to test HVAC systems to 2025 and introduces a waiver process for certain situations.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-265t
ED Joint Favorable Substitute: 10-265t
File No. 569: 10-265t