Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H568 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 117 FILED ON: 1/9/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 568
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Adam Scanlon and Barry R. Finegold
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act establishing a special commission to study the effectiveness of the Massachusetts School
13	13	Building Authority.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Adam Scanlon14th Bristol1/9/2023Barry R. FinegoldSecond Essex and Middlesex1/10/2023Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex1/12/2023Marcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk1/24/2023Smitty Pignatelli3rd Berkshire1/25/2023Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex2/13/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/16/2023 1 of 3
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 117 FILED ON: 1/9/2023
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 568
19	19	By Representative Scanlon of North Attleborough and Senator Finegold, a joint petition
20	20	(accompanied by bill, House, No. 568) of Adam Scanlon, Barry R. Finegold and others for an
21	21	investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to the
22	22	effectiveness of the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Education.
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act establishing a special commission to study the effectiveness of the Massachusetts School
29	29	Building Authority.
30	30	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
31	31	of the same, as follows:
32	32	1 (a) There shall be a special commission to study and make recommendations regarding
33	33	2the capacity of the Massachusetts School Building Authority program to meet current and future
34	34	3school facilities needs in the commonwealth, and the equity of the grant funding formula to
35	35	4ensure that all communities can participate in the program.
36	36	5 (b) The commission shall consist of: 2 members appointed by the senate president, 1 of
37	37	6whom shall be the senate chair of the joint committee on education, and 1 of whom shall serve as
38	38	7co-chair of the commission; 2 members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives,
39	39	81 of whom shall be the house chair of the joint committee on education, and 1 of whom shall
40	40	9serve as co-chair of the commission; 1 member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 1
41	41	10member appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; the secretary of
42	42	11education or a designee; the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or a designee; 2 of 3
43	43	12the executive director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority or a designee; 2 members
44	44	13appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a gateway city with
45	45	14knowledge of municipal finance, and 1 of whom shall be an individual with demonstrated
46	46	15expertise in the design and construction of cost-effective school buildings; 2 members appointed
47	47	16by the state treasurer and receiver general, 1 of whom shall be an individual with demonstrated
48	48	17expertise in the design and construction of green buildings, and 1 of whom shall be an individual
49	49	18with demonstrated expertise in public health and indoor environmental quality in school
50	50	19buildings; and 1 person appointed from each of the following organizations: the Massachusetts
51	51	20Association of School Superintendents, Inc.; the Massachusetts Association of School
52	52	21Committees, Inc.; the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, Inc.; the
53	53	22Massachusetts Chapter of the American Institute for Architects; the Massachusetts Facilities
54	54	23Administrators Association; the Massachusetts Teachers Association; the American Federation
55	55	24of Teachers, Massachusetts; and the Massachusetts Building Trades Council.
56	56	25 (c) The commission shall investigate and make recommendations on: (i) the current and
57	57	26future need to renovate and rebuild school facilities in the commonwealth and the availability of
58	58	27adequate state and local resources to do so; (ii) the MSBA's existing grant formula and potential
59	59	28modifications to the formula to ensure fairness and equity for all communities; (iii) the alignment
60	60	29of the MSBA's construction cost reimbursement rate relative to the actual cost of construction
61	61	30and other MSBA policies that impact eligible project costs for reimbursement; (iv) incentive
62	62	31percentage points, including, but not limited to, how incentive percentage points are calculated
63	63	32for municipalities that qualify for 80 per cent reimbursement; (v) reimbursement policies for
64	64	33regional technical and vocational schools and how to ensure affordability for all member
65	65	34communities; (vi) reimbursement policies to help the commonwealth achieve its environmental 3 of 3
66	66	35and greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals; (vii) reimbursement policies that support healthy
67	67	36school facilities for students and staff; (viii) whether the MSBA may spend money on equipment
68	68	37or if it is limited to funding for education structures; (ix) whether the MSBA should add
69	69	38incentives for approved chapter 74 educational spaces in programs that align to labor market
70	70	39demand; and (x) any other pertinent issues that relate to ensuring that all students in the
71	71	40commonwealth can attend school in high quality, accessible, safe, healthy, and green school
72	72	41buildings.