The proposed bill amends Chapter 16-21 of the General Laws, titled "Health and Safety of Pupils," by introducing a new section, 16-21-43, which focuses on school air quality. It establishes definitions for key terms related to air quality, such as "ASHRAE," "HVAC," and "MERV," among others. The bill mandates the Department of Health to create guidelines for indoor air quality in schools, including recommended thresholds for temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10). Additionally, it requires the Department of Education's school building authority to conduct uniform inspections and evaluations of indoor air quality every five years, in collaboration with local school boards, to identify deficiencies and estimate remediation costs.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that all schools with HVAC systems must install filtration that achieves a MERV level of 13, or the highest level achievable without compromising system performance. It emphasizes that all HVAC-related work must be performed by a skilled and trained workforce, and adjustments must be made by qualified personnel. The Departments of Health and Education are authorized to promulgate necessary rules and regulations to implement these provisions. The act will take effect upon passage.