This bill makes several amendments to the General Laws related to school housing support. It adds a new definition for "zero energy capable" buildings and increases the minimum housing aid share for certain projects. It also increases the school housing aid ratio for projects focused on school safety and security, health and safety deficiencies, educational enhancement, facility replacement, facility consolidation, and high-performance school design. The bill also includes amendments to the eligibility for reimbursement under the necessity of school construction process, establishes a moratorium on project approvals, and requires the council on elementary and secondary education to approve new construction applications on an annual basis. Additionally, the bill includes provisions related to community involvement in contaminated building sites, owner's program managers and commissioning agents for school housing projects, temporary housing for students during construction, and the sale of newly constructed schools to private entities. The bill also amends the roles and responsibilities of the school building authority and requires the development of regulations for school buildings to meet energy efficiency standards.

Statutes affected:
6008: 16-105-3