Connecticut 2022 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00423 Compare Versions

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5-General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 423
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5+LCO No. 3105 1 of 10
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7+General Assembly Raised Bill No. 423
68 February Session, 2022
9+LCO No. 3105
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12+Referred to Committee on LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
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14+
15+Introduced by:
16+(LAB)
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1021 AN ACT IMPROVING INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN PUBLIC SCHOOL
1122 CLASSROOMS.
1223 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
1324 Assembly convened:
1425
15-Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) As used in this section and 1
26+Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section and 1
1627 sections 2 to 6, inclusive, of this act: 2
1728 (1) "Commissioner" means the Labor Commissioner or the 3
1829 commissioner's designee; 4
1930 (2) "Commission" means the Occupational Safety and Health Review 5
2031 Commission established under section 31-376 of the general statutes; 6
2132 (3) "Person" means one or more individuals, partnerships, 7
2233 associations, corporations, limited liability companies, business trusts, 8
2334 legal representatives or any organized group of persons; 9
2435 (4) "Employee" means any person engaged in service to an employer 10
2536 in a business of his employer; 11
2637 (5) "Local or regional board of education" means local and regional 12
27-boards of education as used in title 10 of the general statutes and 13
38+boards of education as used in title 10 of the general statutes and 13 Raised Bill No. 423
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2844 includes regional educational service centers and state charter schools; 14
2945 (6) "School facilities" means any permanent building or portable 15
30-building or structure or commercial space owned, rented, operated or 16 Substitute Bill No. 423
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46+building or structure or commercial space owned, rented, operated or 16
3547 leased by boards of education and charters, including donated space, 17
3648 used as a classroom or day care, or any other space for education 18
3749 services including, but not limited to, classrooms, cafeterias, staff 19
3850 lounges, staff offices, auditoriums, gymnasiums or libraries; 20
3951 (7) "Heating, ventilation and air conditioning system" means the 21
4052 equipment, distribution network and terminals that provide, either 22
4153 collectively or individually, heating, ventilation or air conditioning to a 23
4254 building; 24
4355 (8) "School activity hours" means any time of day in which students 25
4456 or school personnel occupy school facilities throughout the year; 26
4557 (9) "ASHRAE Standard 62" means the most recent American National 27
4658 Standards Institute/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and 28
4759 Air-conditioning Engineers Standard 62.1 entitled "ventilation for 29
4860 acceptable indoor air quality"; 30
4961 (10) "Indoor air quality" means the overall potential health factors 31
5062 within a school facility, including air quality, mold levels and other 32
5163 potentially harmful toxins; 33
5264 (11) "Routine indoor air monitoring program" means testing 34
5365 procedures, testing protocols and testing frequency to ensure that 35
5466 indoor air quality and the maintenance and operation of heating, 36
5567 ventilation and air conditioning systems are in accordance with 37
5668 ASHRAE Standard 62; 38
5769 (12) "Public school temperature range" means a temperature from 39
5870 sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit to seventy-six degrees Fahrenheit; 40
5971 (13) "Public school relative humidity range" means relative humidity 41
60-levels within twenty to sixty per cent; 42
72+levels within twenty to sixty per cent; 42 Raised Bill No. 423
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6178 (14) "Properly licensed heating, ventilation and air conditioning 43
6279 contractor" means a contractor who is licensed in accordance with 44
63-chapter 393 of the general statutes; 45 Substitute Bill No. 423
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80+chapter 393 of the general statutes; 45
6881 (15) "Properly certified testing, adjusting and balancing technician" 46
6982 means a technician certified to perform testing, adjusting and balancing 47
7083 of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems by the Associated 48
7184 Air Balance Council, the National Environmental Balancing Bureau or 49
7285 the Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau, or individuals training 50
7386 under the supervision of a Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau 51
7487 certified technician or a person certified to perform ventilation 52
7588 assessments of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems 53
7689 through a certification body accredited by the American National 54
7790 Standards Institute; and 55
7891 (16) "Skilled and trained construction workforce" means a workforce, 56
7992 managed in conformance with the Davis-Beacon of 1931 40 USC 3145, 57
8093 et seq., as amended from time to time, in which at least sixty per cent of 58
8194 the workers are graduates of or registered in and attending an 59
8295 apprenticeship program registered with the Labor Department's office 60
8396 of apprenticeship training. 61
8497 Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2022) (a) On or before August 15, 2022, 62
8598 the Labor Department shall establish: (1) A mandatory public school 63
8699 temperature range; and (2) a mandatory public school relative humidity 64
87100 range. The temperature and relative humidity readings for public school 65
88101 facilities shall be taken in a location or locations that are illustrative of 66
89102 the highest and lowest temperature and relative humidity in the school 67
90103 facility during school activity hours. 68
91104 (b) (1) On or before June 30, 2023, the Labor Commissioner, in 69
92105 consultation with the Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of 70
93106 the Office of Policy and Management, or their designees, shall establish 71
94107 a routine school indoor air quality assessment and ventilation 72
95108 monitoring program that is consistent with the minimum requirements 73
96-of the ASHRAE Standard 62 and the provisions of this section for use 74
109+of the ASHRAE Standard 62 and the provisions of this section for use 74 Raised Bill No. 423
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97115 by local and regional boards of education. The Labor Commissioner 75
98116 shall post the requirements of such program on the Labor Department's 76
99-Internet web site. 77 Substitute Bill No. 423
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117+Internet web site. 77
104118 (2) The routine indoor air quality assessment and ventilation 78
105119 monitoring program shall require any ventilation assessment be 79
106120 performed by a certified Testing, Adjusting and Balancing technician or 80
107121 mechanical engineer. The ventilation assessment shall verify whether 81
108122 the existing mechanical ventilation system is operating in accordance 82
109123 with design parameters, meets the requirements of the La bor 83
110124 Department and follows the recommendations of the American Society 84
111125 of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers for 85
112126 ventilation needs during the 2020 coronavirus disease pandemic. The 86
113127 ventilation assessment for heating, ventilation and air conditioning 87
114128 systems shall include: (A) Testing for maximum filter efficiency; (B) 88
115129 physical measurements of outside air rate; (C) verification of operation 89
116130 of ventilation components; (D) measurement of all air distribution inlets 90
117131 and outlets; (E) verification of unit operation and that required 91
118132 maintenance has been performed in accordance with ASHRAE 92
119133 Standard 62.1 – 2019 Section 8 and Table 8-1; (F) verification of control 93
120134 sequences; (G) verification of carbon dioxide sensors; and (H) collection 94
121135 of field data for the installation of mechanical ventilation if none exist. 95
122136 (3) The indoor air quality and ventilation assessment shall result in a 96
123137 written report reviewed by a mechanical engineer and shall include 97
124138 appropriate corrective actions needed for the mechanical ventilation 98
125139 system or the heating, ventilation and air conditioning infrastructure, 99
126140 including installation of appropriate filters, installation of carbon 100
127141 dioxide sensors and additional maintenance, repairs, upgrades or 101
128142 replacement. 102
129143 (c) On or before July 1, 2024, and every three years thereafter, each 103
130144 local and regional board of education shall conduct an indoor air quality 104
131145 and ventilation assessment in a manner consistent with the Labor 105
132146 Department's routine school indoor air quality assessment and 106
133-ventilation monitoring program established in this section. The written 107
147+ventilation monitoring program established in this section. The written 107 Raised Bill No. 423
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134153 assessment report shall be made available for public inspection, posted 108
135154 on the local or regional board of education's Internet web site and 109
136-submitted to the Labor Department. 110 Substitute Bill No. 423
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155+submitted to the Labor Department. 110
141156 (d) The Labor Department shall require all local and regional boards 111
142157 of education to make the appropriate corrective actions identified in the 112
143158 ventilation assessment report. The corrective actions shall include 113
144159 testing, adjusting and balancing the public school mechanical 114
145160 ventilation system and, if necessary or cost effective, repair, upgrade or 115
146161 replacement of the existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning 116
147162 system or the installation of a stand-alone mechanical ventilation 117
148163 system. The corrective actions identified in the ventilation assessment 118
149164 may include general maintenance, reading and adjustment of 119
150165 ventilation rates, filter replacement to meet a minimum efficiency 120
151166 reporting value of at least thirteen, if equipment allows, while assuring 121
152167 the pressure drop is less than the fan's capability, carbon dioxide 122
153168 monitor installation or whole system installation or replacement. 123
154169 Portable filtration and air cleaners shall be used only if the existing 124
155170 heating, ventilation and air conditioning infrastructure cannot meet 125
156171 minimum filtration and ventilation requirements or, as recommended 126
157172 by a mechanical engineer, as supplemental enhancement to the 127
158173 permanent heating, ventilation and air conditioning infrastructure 128
159174 when the desired indoor air quality cannot be maintained with the 129
160175 mechanical ventilation system or there are concerns with outdoor air 130
161176 contaminants such as those created by wildfires and pollution. 131
162177 (e) Any remediation, additions or alterations to a heating, ventilation 132
163178 and air conditioning system shall be performed by a properly licensed 133
164179 heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractor employing a skilled 134
165180 and trained construction workforce consisting of journey persons and 135
166181 registered apprentices, pursuant to title 31 of the general statutes, in 136
167182 accordance with chapter 393 of the general statutes. 137
168183 (f) All testing and certifications of a heating, ventilation and air 138
169184 conditioning system shall be performed by a properly certified testing, 139
170-adjusting and balancing technician. 140
185+adjusting and balancing technician. 140 Raised Bill No. 423
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171191 (g) The Labor Commissioner, in consultation with the Commissioner 141
172192 of Education and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, 142
173-or their designees, shall approve the routine indoor air monitoring 143 Substitute Bill No. 423
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193+or their designees, shall approve the routine indoor air monitoring 143
178194 program at least every three years to ensure the efficacy of the program 144
179195 and shall review the program in the event of a public health emergency 145
180-or other event potentially impacting indoor air quality in schools across 146
181-the state. 147
196+or other potentially impacting indoor air quality in schools across the 146
197+state. 147
182198 (h) Local and regional boards of education shall be responsible for the 148
183199 ongoing maintenance of heating, ventilation and air conditioning 149
184200 systems in a manner enabling such systems to continually maintain 150
185201 indoor air quality and temperature and humidity ranges in school 151
186202 facilities during school activity hours in accordance with standards 152
187203 adopted by the Labor Department pursuant to this section. Each local 153
188-and regional board of education shall participate in the United States 154
204+and regional boards of education shall participate in the United States 154
189205 Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Flag Program for 155
190206 Schools. 156
191-(i) Each local and regional board of education shall close a school for 157
207+(i) Each local and regional boards of education shall close a school for 157
192208 the day if the mandated public school temperature range cannot be 158
193209 maintained by the school for two or more consecutive school activity 159
194210 hours. Any school closure required pursuant to this subsection shall not 160
195211 result in diminishment of pay for any board of education employee or 161
196-any employee contracted to work for such board of education that was 162
212+any employee contracted to work for such board of education, who was 162
197213 scheduled to work on such day or days. 163
198214 (j) On or before June 30, 2026, and each year thereafter, each local and 164
199215 regional board of education shall have in place a heating, ventilation 165
200216 and air conditioning system capable of being in full compliance with the 166
201217 indoor air quality, temperature and humidity monitoring program 167
202218 standards established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and shall 168
203219 operate and maintain such system in accordance with such standards. 169
204220 Sec. 3. Subsection (b) of section 10-283 of the 2022 supplement to the 170
205221 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 171
206-thereof (Effective from passage): 172
222+thereof (Effective from passage): 172 Raised Bill No. 423
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207228 (b) (1) Notwithstanding the application date requirements of this 173
208229 section, at any time within the limit of available grant authorization and 174
209-within the limit of appropriated funds, the Commissioner of 175 Substitute Bill No. 423
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230+within the limit of appropriated funds, the Commissioner of 175
214231 Administrative Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of 176
215232 Education, may approve applications for grants and make payments for 177
216233 such grants, for any of the following reasons: (A) To assist school 178
217234 building projects to remedy damage from fire and catastrophe, (B) to 179
218235 correct safety, health and other code violations, (C) to replace roofs, 180
219236 including the replacement or installation of skylights as part of the roof 181
220237 replacement project, (D) to remedy a certified school indoor air quality 182
221238 emergency, (E) to install insulation for exterior walls and attics, (F) to 183
222239 purchase and install a limited use and limited access elevator, windows, 184
223240 photovoltaic panels, wind generation systems, building management 185
224241 systems, a public school administrative or service facility or portable 186
225242 classroom buildings, provided portable classroom building projects 187
226243 shall not create a new facility or cause an existing facility to be modified 188
227244 so that the portable buildings comprise a substantial percentage of the 189
228245 total facility area, as determined by the commissioner, [or] (G) for school 190
229246 security projects, including, but not limited to, making improvements to 191
230247 existing school security infrastructure or installing new school security 192
231248 infrastructure, or (H) for the installation, remediation or replacement of 193
232249 heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems necessary to 194
233250 continually maintain indoor air quality and temperature and humidity 195
234251 ranges in school facilities during school activity hours in accordance 196
235252 with standards adopted by the Labor Department pursuant to section 2 197
236253 of this act. 198
237254 (2) Not later than seven calendar days following the discovery of a 199
238255 reason described in subparagraphs (A) to (F), inclusive, of subdivision 200
239256 (1) of this subsection, the superintendent of schools of a town or regional 201
240257 school district shall notify the Commissioner of Administrative Services 202
241258 in writing of such reason in order to be eligible for a grant under this 203
242259 subsection. Such superintendent shall submit an application to the 204
243260 commissioner not later than six months following such notification in 205
244-order to receive a grant under this subsection. 206
261+order to receive a grant under this subsection. 206 Raised Bill No. 423
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245267 Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) Any local or regional board 207
246268 of education, regional educational service center or charter school 208
247-commencing a project to remediate, replace or install a heating, 209 Substitute Bill No. 423
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269+commencing a project to remediate, replace or install a heating, 209
252270 ventilation and air conditioning system shall be considered to be in 210
253271 compliance with the provisions of subsection (j) of section 2 of this act. 211
254272 (b) Any local or regional board of education or charter school eligible 212
255273 for reimbursement for school construction projects pursuant to chapter 213
256274 173 of the general statutes, that submits a completed application to 214
257275 remediate, replace or install a heating, ventilation and air conditioning 215
258276 system to continually maintain indoor air quality and temperature and 216
259277 humidity ranges in school facilities during school activity hours, shall 217
260278 be considered to be in compliance with the provisions of subsection (j) 218
261279 of section 2 of this act. 219
262280 Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2022) (a) Each superintendent for a local 220
263281 or regional board of education, regional educational service center or 221
264282 charter school shall: 222
265283 (1) Designate an individual within each local and regional board of 223
266-education to be responsible for receiving and reporting to the 224
267-superintendent complaints of mold, evidence of pest infestation, 225
284+education to be responsible for receiving, and reporting to the 224
285+superintendent, complaints of mold, evidence of pest infestation, 225
268286 hazardous odors or chemicals and poor indoor air-quality; 226
269287 (2) Make available on the district's Internet web site the procedure for 227
270288 any party to file such complaint with the designated individual; 228
271289 (3) Duly forward any such complaints, in writing, to each bargaining 229
272290 agent representative representing members who work or visit the 230
273291 affected building, including, but not limited to, teachers, paraeducators, 231
274292 nurses, custodians, administrative staff and bus workers; and 232
275293 (4) Report complaints, in writing, to the corresponding board of 233
276294 education at either the next regularly scheduled meeting or within sixty 234
277295 calendar days, whichever is earlier. 235
278-(b) Any indoor air quality complaint filed under subsection (a) of this 236
296+(b) Any indoor air quality complaint filed under subsection (a) of this 236 Raised Bill No. 423
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279302 section shall be investigated by local and regional boards of education, 237
280303 including documentation of any physical symptoms exhibited by 238
281-students, staff or visitors, including, but not limited to, urgent care 239 Substitute Bill No. 423
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304+students, staff or visitors, including, but not limited to, urgent care 239
286305 referrals, blood test, an OSHA 301 form or incident report forms, 240
287306 workers' compensation claims and the testing of any visible substance, 241
288307 including, but not limited to, mold, chemicals, pest droppings, 242
289308 infestations or other such substance, for the presence of a health hazard. 243
290309 Upon confirmation of the presence of a health hazard, the local or 244
291310 regional board of education shall notify the Labor Department's 245
292311 Division of Occupational Safety and Health of such hazard, and the local 246
293312 and regional board of education shall create and implement a plan for 247
294313 remedying such hazard. 248
295314 (c) No employer that is a local or regional board of education, 249
296315 regional education service center or state charter school shall retaliate 250
297316 against, discipline or terminate any employee for filing a complaint or 251
298317 reporting conditions regarding indoor air quality under section 5 of this 252
299318 act. 253
300-(d) Any employee of a local and regional board of education, regional 254
301-educational service center or state charter school who believes that such 255
302-employee has experienced discrimination, retaliation, discipline or 256
303-termination by his or her employer for filing a complaint or reporting 257
319+(d) Any employee of local and regional boards of education, regional 254
320+educational service centers and state charter schools who believe that 255
321+such employee has experienced discrimination, retaliation, discipline or 256
322+termination by their employer for filing a complaint or reporting 257
304323 conditions regarding indoor air quality under section 5 of this act may 258
305324 submit a complaint alleging such violation in accordance with section 259
306325 31-379 of the general statutes. 260
307326 Sec. 6. Subsection (a) of section 10-283b of the 2022 supplement to the 261
308327 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 262
309328 thereof (Effective from passage): 263
310329 (a) On and after July 1, 2011, the Commissioner of Administrative 264
311330 Services shall include school building projects for the Technical 265
312331 Education and Career System on the list developed pursuant to section 266
313332 10-283. The adoption of the list by the General Assembly and 267
314-authorization by the State Bond Commission of the issuance of bonds 268
333+authorization by the State Bond Commission of the issuance of bonds 268 Raised Bill No. 423
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315339 pursuant to section 10-287d shall fund the full cost of the projects. On or 269
316340 after July 1, 2011, the Commissioner of Administrative Services, in 270
317-consultation with the Commissioner of Education, may approve 271 Substitute Bill No. 423
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341+consultation with the Commissioner of Education, may approve 271
322342 applications for grants to assist school building projects for the 272
323343 Technical Education and Career System to remedy damage from fire 273
324344 and catastrophe, to correct safety, health and other code violations, to 274
325345 replace roofs, to remedy a certified school indoor air quality emergency, 275
326346 for the installation, remediation or replacement of heating, ventilation 276
327347 and air conditioning systems necessary to continually maintain indoor 277
328348 air quality and temperature and humidity ranges in school facilities 278
329349 during school activity hours in accordance with standards adopted by 279
330350 the Labor Department pursuant to section 2 of this act, or to purchase 280
331351 and install portable classroom buildings at any time within the limit of 281
332352 available grant authorization and to make payments on such a project 282
333353 within the limit of appropriated funds, provided portable classroom 283
334354 building projects do not create a new facility or cause an existing facility 284
335355 to be modified so that the portable buildings comprise a substantial 285
336356 percentage of the total facility area, as determined by the Commissioner 286
337357 of Administrative Services. Such projects shall be subject to the 287
338358 requirements of chapters 59 and 60. 288
339359 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
340360 sections:
341361
342362 Section 1 from passage New section
343363 Sec. 2 July 1, 2022 New section
344364 Sec. 3 from passage 10-283(b)
345365 Sec. 4 from passage New section
346366 Sec. 5 July 1, 2022 New section
347367 Sec. 6 from passage 10-283b(a)
348368
349-Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
350-In Section 2(g) "other potentially" was changed to "other event
351-potentially" for clarity; in Section 2(h) and (i), "boards of education" was
352-changed to "board of education" for proper grammar; and in Section
353-5(d), "Any employee of local and regional boards of education, regional
354-educational service center and state charter school who believe that such
355-employee has experienced discrimination, retaliation, discipline or
356-termination by their employer" was changed to "Any employee of a local
357-and regional board of education, regional educational service center or
358-state charter school who believes that such employee has experienced Substitute Bill No. 423
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363-discrimination, retaliation, discipline or termination by his or her
364-employer" for consistency and proper grammar.
365-
366-LAB Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO
369+Statement of Purpose:
370+To require local and regional boards of education to maintain healthy
371+indoor air quality in their schools.
372+[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
373+that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
374+underlined.]
367375