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| 3 | 3 | | LCO No. 4942 1 of 8 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7028 |
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| 6 | 6 | | January Session, 2025 |
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| 7 | 7 | | LCO No. 4942 |
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| 8 | 8 | | |
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| 9 | 9 | | |
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| 10 | 10 | | Referred to Committee on HOUSING |
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| 11 | 11 | | |
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| 12 | 12 | | |
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| 13 | 13 | | Introduced by: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (HSG) |
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| 15 | 15 | | |
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| 16 | 16 | | |
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| 17 | 17 | | |
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| 18 | 18 | | |
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| 19 | 19 | | AN ACT INCREASING THE REIMBURSEMENT PERCENTAGE FOR |
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| 20 | 20 | | SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT GRANTS FOR MUNICIPALITIES THAT |
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| 21 | 21 | | MEET CERTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING THRESHOLDS. |
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| 22 | 22 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General |
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| 23 | 23 | | Assembly convened: |
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| 24 | 24 | | |
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| 25 | 25 | | Section 1. Section 10-285a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1 |
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| 26 | 26 | | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 2 |
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| 27 | 27 | | (a) (1) The percentage of school building project grant money a local 3 |
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| 28 | 28 | | board of education may be eligible to receive, under the provisions of 4 |
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| 29 | 29 | | section 10-286, shall be assigned by the Commissioner of Administrative 5 |
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| 30 | 30 | | Services in accordance with the percentage calculated by the 6 |
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| 31 | 31 | | Commissioner of Education as follows: (A) For grants approved 7 |
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| 32 | 32 | | pursuant to section 10-283 for which application is made on and after 8 |
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| 33 | 33 | | July 1, 1991, and before July 1, 2011, (i) each town shall be ranked in 9 |
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| 34 | 34 | | descending order from one to one hundred sixty-nine according to such 10 |
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| 35 | 35 | | town's adjusted equalized net grand list per capita, as defined in section 11 |
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| 36 | 36 | | 10-261; and (ii) based upon such ranking, a percentage of not less than 12 |
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| 37 | 37 | | twenty nor more than eighty shall be determined for each town on a 13 |
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| 38 | 38 | | continuous scale; (B) for grants approved pursuant to section 10-283 for 14 |
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| 39 | 39 | | Raised Bill No. 7028 |
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| 40 | 40 | | |
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| 41 | 41 | | |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | LCO No. 4942 2 of 8 |
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| 44 | 44 | | |
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| 45 | 45 | | which application is made on and after July 1, 2011, and before July 1, 15 |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2017, (i) each town shall be ranked in descending order from one to one 16 |
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| 47 | 47 | | hundred sixty-nine according to such town's adjusted equalized net 17 |
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| 48 | 48 | | grand list per capita, as defined in section 10-261, and (ii) based upon 18 |
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| 49 | 49 | | such ranking, (I) a percentage of not less than ten nor more than seventy 19 |
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| 50 | 50 | | shall be determined for new construction or replacement of a school 20 |
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| 51 | 51 | | building for each town on a continuous scale, and (II) a percentage of 21 |
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| 52 | 52 | | not less than twenty nor more than eighty shall be determined for 22 |
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| 53 | 53 | | renovations, extensions, code violations, roof replacements and major 23 |
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| 54 | 54 | | alterations of an existing school building and the new construction or 24 |
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| 55 | 55 | | replacement of a school building when a town or regional school district 25 |
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| 56 | 56 | | can demonstrate that a new construction or replacement is less 26 |
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| 57 | 57 | | expensive than a renovation, extension or major alteration of an existing 27 |
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| 58 | 58 | | school building for each town on a continuous scale; (C) for grants 28 |
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| 59 | 59 | | approved pursuant to section 10-283 for which application is made on 29 |
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| 60 | 60 | | and after July 1, 2017, and before June 1, 2022, (i) each town shall be 30 |
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| 61 | 61 | | ranked in descending order from one to one hundred sixty-nine 31 |
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| 62 | 62 | | according to the adjusted equalized net grand list per capita, as defined 32 |
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| 63 | 63 | | in section 10-261, of the town two, three and four years prior to the fiscal 33 |
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| 64 | 64 | | year in which application is made, and (ii) based upon such ranking, (I) 34 |
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| 65 | 65 | | a percentage of not less than ten nor more than seventy shall be 35 |
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| 66 | 66 | | determined for new construction or replacement of a school building for 36 |
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| 67 | 67 | | each town on a continuous scale, and (II) a percentage of not less than 37 |
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| 68 | 68 | | twenty nor more than eighty shall be determined for renovations, 38 |
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| 69 | 69 | | extensions, code violations, roof replacements and major alterations of 39 |
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| 70 | 70 | | an existing school building and the new construction or replacement of 40 |
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| 71 | 71 | | a school building when a town or regional school district can 41 |
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| 72 | 72 | | demonstrate that a new construction or replacement is less expensive 42 |
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| 73 | 73 | | than a renovation, extension or major alteration of an existing school 43 |
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| 74 | 74 | | building for each town on a continuous scale; (D) except as otherwise 44 |
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| 75 | 75 | | provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, for grants approved 45 |
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| 76 | 76 | | pursuant to section 10-283 for which application is made on and after 46 |
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| 77 | 77 | | June 1, 2022, (i) each town shall be ranked in descending order from one 47 |
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| 78 | 78 | | to one hundred sixty-nine according to the adjusted equalized net grand 48 |
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| 79 | 79 | | Raised Bill No. 7028 |
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| 80 | 80 | | |
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| 81 | 81 | | |
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| 82 | 82 | | |
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| 83 | 83 | | LCO No. 4942 3 of 8 |
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| 84 | 84 | | |
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| 85 | 85 | | list per capita, as defined in section 10-261, of the town two, three and 49 |
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| 86 | 86 | | four years prior to the fiscal year in which application is made, and (ii) 50 |
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| 87 | 87 | | based upon such ranking, (I) a percentage of not less than ten nor more 51 |
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| 88 | 88 | | than seventy shall be determined for new construction or replacement 52 |
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| 89 | 89 | | of a school building for each town on a continuous scale, and (II) a 53 |
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| 90 | 90 | | percentage of not less than twenty nor more than eighty shall be 54 |
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| 91 | 91 | | determined for renovations, extensions, code violations, roof 55 |
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| 92 | 92 | | replacements and major alterations of an existing school building and 56 |
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| 93 | 93 | | the new construction or replacement of a school building when a town 57 |
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| 94 | 94 | | or regional school district can demonstrate that a new construction or 58 |
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| 95 | 95 | | replacement is less expensive than a renovation, extension or major 59 |
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| 96 | 96 | | alteration of an existing school building for each town on a continuous 60 |
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| 97 | 97 | | scale; and (E) except as otherwise provided in subdivision (2) of this 61 |
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| 98 | 98 | | subsection, for grants approved pursuant to section 10-283 for which 62 |
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| 99 | 99 | | application is made on and after July 1, 2024, (i) each town shall be 63 |
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| 100 | 100 | | ranked in descending order from one to one hundred sixty-nine 64 |
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| 101 | 101 | | according to the adjusted equalized net grand list per capita, as defined 65 |
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| 102 | 102 | | in section 10-261, of the town two, three and four years prior to the fiscal 66 |
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| 103 | 103 | | year in which application is made, and (ii) based upon such ranking, (I) 67 |
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| 104 | 104 | | a percentage of not less than ten nor more than eighty shall be 68 |
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| 105 | 105 | | determined for new construction or replacement of a school building for 69 |
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| 106 | 106 | | each town on a continuous scale, and (II) a percentage of not less than 70 |
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| 107 | 107 | | twenty nor more than eighty shall be determined for renovations, 71 |
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| 108 | 108 | | extensions, code violations, roof replacements and major alterations of 72 |
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| 109 | 109 | | an existing school building and the new construction or replacement of 73 |
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| 110 | 110 | | a school building when a town or regional school district can 74 |
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| 111 | 111 | | demonstrate that a new construction or replacement is less expensive 75 |
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| 112 | 112 | | than a renovation, extension or major alteration of an existing school 76 |
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| 113 | 113 | | building for each town on a continuous scale. 77 |
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| 114 | 114 | | (2) For grants approved pursuant to section 10-283 for which 78 |
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| 115 | 115 | | application is made prior to July 1, 2047, the percentage of school 79 |
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| 116 | 116 | | building project grant money a local board of education for (A) any 80 |
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| 117 | 117 | | town with a total population of eighty thousand or greater may be 81 |
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| 118 | 118 | | Raised Bill No. 7028 |
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| 119 | 119 | | |
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| 120 | 120 | | |
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| 121 | 121 | | |
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| 122 | 122 | | LCO No. 4942 4 of 8 |
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| 123 | 123 | | |
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| 124 | 124 | | eligible to receive shall be the greater of the percentage calculated 82 |
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| 125 | 125 | | pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection or sixty per cent, and (B) 83 |
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| 126 | 126 | | the town of Cheshire shall be the greater of the percentage calculated 84 |
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| 127 | 127 | | pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection or fifty per cent. 85 |
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| 128 | 128 | | (b) (1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (2) of this 86 |
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| 129 | 129 | | subsection, the percentage of school building project grant money a 87 |
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| 130 | 130 | | regional board of education may be eligible to receive under the 88 |
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| 131 | 131 | | provisions of section 10-286 shall be determined by its ranking. Such 89 |
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| 132 | 132 | | ranking shall be determined by (A) multiplying the total population, as 90 |
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| 133 | 133 | | defined in section 10-261, of each town in the district by such town's 91 |
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| 134 | 134 | | ranking, as determined in subsection (a) of this section, (B) adding 92 |
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| 135 | 135 | | together the figures determined under subparagraph (A) of this 93 |
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| 136 | 136 | | subdivision, and (C) dividing the total computed under subparagraph 94 |
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| 137 | 137 | | (B) of this subdivision by the total population of all towns in the district. 95 |
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| 138 | 138 | | The ranking of each regional board of education shall be rounded to the 96 |
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| 139 | 139 | | next higher whole number and each such board shall receive the same 97 |
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| 140 | 140 | | reimbursement percentage as would a town with the same rank plus ten 98 |
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| 141 | 141 | | per cent, except that no such percentage shall exceed eighty-five per 99 |
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| 142 | 142 | | cent. 100 |
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| 143 | 143 | | (2) Any board of education of a regional school district established or 101 |
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| 144 | 144 | | expanded on or after July 1, 2016, that submits an application for a 102 |
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| 145 | 145 | | school building project (A) not later than ten years after the 103 |
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| 146 | 146 | | establishment or expansion of such regional school district, and (B) that 104 |
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| 147 | 147 | | is related to such establishment or expansion, may be eligible to receive 105 |
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| 148 | 148 | | a percentage of school building project grant money, under the 106 |
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| 149 | 149 | | provisions of section 10-286, as follows: The reimbursement percentage 107 |
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| 150 | 150 | | of the town in such regional school district with the greatest 108 |
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| 151 | 151 | | reimbursement percentage, as determined in subsection (a) of this 109 |
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| 152 | 152 | | section, plus ten per cent. 110 |
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| 153 | 153 | | (c) The percentage of school building project grant money a regional 111 |
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| 154 | 154 | | educational service center may be eligible to receive shall be determined 112 |
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| 155 | 155 | | by its ranking. Such ranking shall be determined by (1) multiplying the 113 |
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| 156 | 156 | | Raised Bill No. 7028 |
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| 157 | 157 | | |
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| 158 | 158 | | |
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| 159 | 159 | | |
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| 160 | 160 | | LCO No. 4942 5 of 8 |
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| 161 | 161 | | |
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| 162 | 162 | | population of each member town in the regional educational service 114 |
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| 163 | 163 | | center by such town's ranking, as determined in subsection (a) of this 115 |
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| 164 | 164 | | section; (2) adding together the figures for each town determined under 116 |
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| 165 | 165 | | subdivision (1) of this subsection, and (3) dividing the total computed 117 |
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| 166 | 166 | | under subdivision (2) of this subsection by the total population of all 118 |
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| 167 | 167 | | member towns in the regional educational service center. The ranking 119 |
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| 168 | 168 | | of each regional educational service center shall be rounded to the next 120 |
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| 169 | 169 | | higher whole number and each such center shall receive the same 121 |
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| 170 | 170 | | reimbursement percentage as would a town with the same rank. 122 |
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| 171 | 171 | | (d) The percentage of school building project grant money a 123 |
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| 172 | 172 | | cooperative arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a, may be eligible to 124 |
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| 173 | 173 | | receive shall be determined by its ranking. Such ranking shall be 125 |
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| 174 | 174 | | determined by (1) multiplying the total population, as defined in section 126 |
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| 175 | 175 | | 10-261, of each town in the cooperative arrangement by such town's 127 |
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| 176 | 176 | | ranking, as determined in subsection (a) of this section, (2) adding the 128 |
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| 177 | 177 | | products determined under subdivision (1) of this subsection, and (3) 129 |
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| 178 | 178 | | dividing the total computed under subdivision (2) of this subsection by 130 |
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| 179 | 179 | | the total population of all towns in the cooperative arrangement. The 131 |
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| 180 | 180 | | ranking of each cooperative arrangement shall be rounded to the next 132 |
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| 181 | 181 | | higher whole number and each such cooperative arrangement shall 133 |
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| 182 | 182 | | receive the same reimbursement percentage as would a town with the 134 |
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| 183 | 183 | | same rank plus ten percentage points. 135 |
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| 184 | 184 | | (e) (1) If an elementary school building project for a new building or 136 |
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| 185 | 185 | | for the expansion of an existing building includes space for an early 137 |
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| 186 | 186 | | childhood care and education program that provides services for 138 |
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| 187 | 187 | | children from birth to five years, the percentage determined pursuant to 139 |
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| 188 | 188 | | this section shall be increased by fifteen percentage points, but shall not 140 |
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| 189 | 189 | | exceed one hundred per cent, for the portion of the building used 141 |
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| 190 | 190 | | primarily for such purpose. Recipient districts shall maintain such early 142 |
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| 191 | 191 | | childhood care and education program for at least ten years. 143 |
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| 192 | 192 | | (2) The percentage determined pursuant to this section for any school 144 |
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| 193 | 193 | | building project for a building or facility that will be used exclusively by 145 |
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| 194 | 194 | | Raised Bill No. 7028 |
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| 195 | 195 | | |
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| 196 | 196 | | |
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| 197 | 197 | | |
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| 198 | 198 | | LCO No. 4942 6 of 8 |
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| 199 | 199 | | |
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| 200 | 200 | | a local or regional board of education for an early childhood care and 146 |
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| 201 | 201 | | education program that provides services for children from birth to five 147 |
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| 202 | 202 | | years shall be increased by fifteen percentage points, but shall not 148 |
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| 203 | 203 | | exceed one hundred per cent. Recipient districts shall maintain such 149 |
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| 204 | 204 | | early childhood care and education program for at least twenty years. 150 |
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| 205 | 205 | | (f) The percentage determined pursuant to this section for a school 151 |
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| 206 | 206 | | building project grant for the expansion, alteration or renovation of an 152 |
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| 207 | 207 | | existing public school building to convert such building for use as a 153 |
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| 208 | 208 | | lighthouse school, as defined in section 10-266cc, shall be increased by 154 |
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| 209 | 209 | | ten percentage points. 155 |
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| 210 | 210 | | (g) The percentage determined pursuant to this section for a school 156 |
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| 211 | 211 | | building project grant shall be increased by the percentage of the total 157 |
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| 212 | 212 | | projected enrollment of the school attributable to the number of spaces 158 |
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| 213 | 213 | | made available for out-of-district students participating in the program 159 |
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| 214 | 214 | | established pursuant to section 10-266aa, provided the maximum 160 |
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| 215 | 215 | | increase shall not exceed ten percentage points. 161 |
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| 216 | 216 | | (h) Subject to the provisions of section 10-285d, if an elementary 162 |
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| 217 | 217 | | school building project for a school in a priority school district or for a 163 |
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| 218 | 218 | | priority school is necessary in order to offer a full-day kindergarten 164 |
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| 219 | 219 | | program or a full-day preschool program or to reduce class size 165 |
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| 220 | 220 | | pursuant to section 10-265f, the percentage determined pursuant to this 166 |
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| 221 | 221 | | section shall be increased by fifteen percentage points, but shall not 167 |
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| 222 | 222 | | exceed one hundred per cent, for the portion of the building used 168 |
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| 223 | 223 | | primarily for such full-day kindergarten program, full-day preschool 169 |
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| 224 | 224 | | program or such reduced size classes. Recipient districts that receive an 170 |
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| 225 | 225 | | increase pursuant to this subsection in support of a full-day preschool 171 |
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| 226 | 226 | | program, shall maintain full-day preschool enrollment for at least ten 172 |
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| 227 | 227 | | years. 173 |
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| 228 | 228 | | (i) For all projects authorized on or after July 1, 2007, all attorneys' 174 |
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| 229 | 229 | | fees and court costs related to litigation shall be eligible for state school 175 |
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| 230 | 230 | | construction grant assistance only if the grant applicant is the prevailing 176 |
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| 231 | 231 | | Raised Bill No. 7028 |
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| 232 | 232 | | |
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| 233 | 233 | | |
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| 234 | 234 | | |
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| 235 | 235 | | LCO No. 4942 7 of 8 |
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| 236 | 236 | | |
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| 237 | 237 | | party in any such litigation. 177 |
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| 238 | 238 | | (j) The percentage determined pursuant to this section for a school 178 |
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| 239 | 239 | | building project grant for a diversity school, approved pursuant to 179 |
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| 240 | 240 | | section 10-286h, shall be increased by ten percentage points. 180 |
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| 241 | 241 | | (k) On and after July 1, 2024, for applications submitted pursuant to 181 |
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| 242 | 242 | | subsection (a) of section 10-283, the percentage of school building 182 |
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| 243 | 243 | | project grant money a local or regional board of education may be 183 |
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| 244 | 244 | | eligible to receive shall be increased by five percentage points if, prior 184 |
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| 245 | 245 | | to December first of the year in which the board submits an application 185 |
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| 246 | 246 | | for a grant, such board submits a written determination issued by the 186 |
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| 247 | 247 | | Commissioner of Housing within such year finding that the 187 |
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| 248 | 248 | | municipality in which the school building project is to occur has been 188 |
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| 249 | 249 | | deemed to be an inclusive municipality. As used in this subsection, 189 |
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| 250 | 250 | | "inclusive municipality" means any municipality that: (1) Has a total 190 |
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| 251 | 251 | | population, as defined in section 10-261, that is greater than six 191 |
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| 252 | 252 | | thousand; (2) has less than ten per cent of its housing units determined 192 |
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| 253 | 253 | | by the commissioner to be affordable; (3) has adopted and maintains 193 |
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| 254 | 254 | | zoning regulations that (A) promote fair housing, as determined by the 194 |
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| 255 | 255 | | commissioner, (B) provide a streamlined process for the approval of the 195 |
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| 256 | 256 | | development of multifamily housing of three units or more, (C) permit 196 |
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| 257 | 257 | | mixed-use development, and (D) allow accessory dwelling units; and 197 |
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| 258 | 258 | | (4) has constructed new affordable housing units that (A) are restricted, 198 |
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| 259 | 259 | | through deeds, covenants or other means, to individuals or families 199 |
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| 260 | 260 | | whose income is eighty per cent or less of the state median income, and 200 |
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| 261 | 261 | | (B) equal at least one per cent of such town's total housing units in the 201 |
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| 262 | 262 | | three years immediately preceding the submission of an application 202 |
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| 263 | 263 | | under this section. 203 |
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| 264 | 264 | | (l) On and after July 1, 2025, for applications submitted pursuant to 204 |
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| 265 | 265 | | subsection (a) of section 10-283, the percentage of school building 205 |
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| 266 | 266 | | project grant money a local board of education may be eligible to receive 206 |
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| 267 | 267 | | shall be increased for a five-year period in accordance with this 207 |
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| 268 | 268 | | subdivision if, prior to December first of the year in which the board 208 |
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| 269 | 269 | | Raised Bill No. 7028 |
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| 270 | 270 | | |
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| 271 | 271 | | |
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| 272 | 272 | | |
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| 273 | 273 | | LCO No. 4942 8 of 8 |
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| 274 | 274 | | |
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| 275 | 275 | | submits an application for a grant, such board submits a written 209 |
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| 276 | 276 | | determination issued by the Commissioner of Housing within such year 210 |
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| 277 | 277 | | finding that the municipality in which the school building project is to 211 |
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| 278 | 278 | | occur meets one of the following specified thresholds of affordable 212 |
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| 279 | 279 | | housing, as provided under section 8-30g. A local board of education 213 |
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| 280 | 280 | | shall be eligible to receive the following increase in such grant money: 214 |
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| 281 | 281 | | (1) Twenty per cent if the municipality for such board meets or exceeds 215 |
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| 282 | 282 | | a ten per cent threshold of affordable housing, (2) eight per cent if the 216 |
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| 283 | 283 | | municipality for such board meets at least eight per cent but less than 217 |
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| 284 | 284 | | ten per cent of such threshold of affordable housing, and (3) five per cent 218 |
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| 285 | 285 | | if the municipality for such board meets at least six per cent but less than 219 |
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| 286 | 286 | | eight per cent of such threshold of affordable housing. 220 |
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| 287 | 287 | | This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following |
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| 288 | 288 | | sections: |
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| 289 | 289 | | |
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| 290 | 290 | | Section 1 July 1, 2025 10-285a |
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| 291 | 291 | | |
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| 292 | 292 | | Statement of Purpose: |
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| 293 | 293 | | To increase the reimbursement percentage for school building project |
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| 294 | 294 | | grants for municipalities that meet certain affordable housing |
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| 295 | 295 | | thresholds to encourage the creation of affordable housing. |
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| 296 | 296 | | |
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| 297 | 297 | | [Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except |
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| 298 | 298 | | that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not |
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| 299 | 299 | | underlined.] |
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| 300 | 300 | | |
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