This bill mandates that the Department of Education utilize its 10-year school facilities plans to plan and project building consolidation projects, thereby enhancing the management of school facilities in New Hampshire. The bill amends RSA 198:15-a, V, by inserting that each school district "shall" provide the department with a long-range capital improvement program that identifies facility goals and projected expenditures, replacing the previous language that merely encouraged districts to do so. Additionally, the bill specifies that the department will use this information to better plan and prioritize not only new construction and renovation projects but also building consolidation projects, which were not explicitly included in the previous law.

The bill also requires that the 10-year plan be updated biennially and includes a description of the overall condition of the projects. While the bill does not provide funding or authorize new positions, it is expected to incur additional costs for the Department of Education, which may need to hire additional staff to manage the increased workload. The estimated expenditures for the department are projected to rise significantly in the following fiscal years, although the exact impact on local school districts remains indeterminable as it will vary based on their current compliance with the new requirements.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 6:12, 198:15-a, 198:39
As Amended by the House: 198:15-a
HB1818 text: 6:12, 198:15-a, 198:39