Substitute Senate Bill No. 287 aims to improve indoor air quality in schools by establishing a working group to study and make recommendations on various aspects of indoor air quality within school buildings. The bill includes new insertions such as criteria for rating the priority of HVAC repair needs and amendments to the distribution of funds under the HVAC system grant program. It also replaces a deletion with an insertion regarding the accessibility of reports on indoor air quality. The working group will consist of appointed members and designees from relevant state departments, and it is tasked with submitting a progress report by July 1, 2025, and annually until July 1, 2029, with a final report due by January 1, 2030.

The bill extends the termination date of the working group to July 1, 2030, and mandates that local or regional boards of education conduct uniform inspections and evaluations of HVAC systems in school buildings, with at least 20% of schools inspected each year until all have been inspected, and thereafter every five years. Inspections must be performed by certified technicians or licensed professionals and include a range of checks to ensure compliance with the latest indoor ventilation standards. The results must be made publicly available and submitted to the Department of Administrative Services. The bill modifies conditions for awarding grants, allowing for grants to be awarded for the inspection and evaluation of HVAC systems, and sets the act to take effect on July 1, 2024.