SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2885
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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SENATE, July 22, 2024.
The committee on Senate Ways and Means to whom was referred the Senate Bill
establishing a special commission to review the adequacy and equity of the Massachusetts school
building program (Senate, No. 2659), - reports, recommending that the same ought to pass with
an amendment substituting a new draft with the same title (Senate, No. 2885).
For the committee,
Michael J. Rodrigues 1 of 3
FILED ON: 7/22/2024
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2885
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act establishing a special commission to review the adequacy and equity of the
Massachusetts school building program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. (a) For the purposes of this section, the word “authority” shall mean the
2Massachusetts School Building Authority established in section 1A of chapter 70B of the
3General Laws.
4 (b) There shall be a special commission to study and make recommendations regarding
5the: (i) capacity of the authority to meet the needs of current and future school facility projects;
6and (ii) racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and geographic equity of the grant funding formula to
7ensure that all communities may participate in the maintenance assessment program established
8pursuant to section 16 of chapter 70B of the General Laws.
9 (c) The commission shall consist of: the chairs of the joint committee on education, who
10shall serve as co-chairs; 1 member to be appointed by the senate president; 1 member to be
11appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 member to be appointed by the
12minority leader of the senate; 1 member to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of
13representatives; the secretary of education or a designee; the commissioner of elementary and 2 of 3
14secondary education or a designee; the executive director of the authority or a designee; 2
15members to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a gateway city
16with knowledge of municipal finance and 1 of whom shall be an individual with demonstrated
17expertise in the design and construction of cost-effective school buildings; 2 members to be
18appointed by the state treasurer, 1 of whom shall be an individual with demonstrated expertise in
19the design and construction of green buildings and 1 of whom shall be an individual with
20demonstrated expertise in public health and indoor environmental quality in school buildings; 1
21member representing Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc.; 1 member
22representing Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc.; 1 member representing
23Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, Inc.; 1 member representing the
24Massachusetts chapters of the American Institute for Architects; 1 member representing
25Massachusetts Facilities Administrators Association, Inc.; 1 member representing the
26Massachusetts Teachers Association; 1 member representing the American Federation of
27Teachers, Massachusetts; 1 member representing Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, Inc.; 1
28member representing Massachusetts Municipal Association, Inc.; and 1 member representing the
29Massachusetts Building Trades Council.
30 (d) The commission shall investigate and make recommendations on: (i) the current and
31future need to renovate and rebuild school facilities, availability of adequate state and local
32resources and extent to which current state funding for the authority may need to be adjusted to
33meet this need; (ii) the authority’s existing grant formula and potential modifications to the
34formula to ensure fairness and equity for all communities; (iii) the alignment of the authority’s
35construction cost reimbursement rate relative to the actual cost of construction and other
36authority policies that impact eligible project costs for reimbursement; (iv) incentive percentage 3 of 3
37points, including, but not limited to, how incentive percentage points are calculated for
38municipalities that qualify for 80 per cent reimbursement; (v) reimbursement policies for
39regional technical and vocational schools and how to ensure affordability for all member
40communities; (vi) reimbursement policies to help the commonwealth achieve its environmental
41and greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals; (vii) reimbursement policies that support healthy
42school facilities for students and staff; (viii) whether the authority should be authorized to spend
43money on equipment or be limited to funding education structures; (ix) whether the authority
44should add incentives for educational spaces approved under chapter 74 of the General Laws in
45programs that align to labor market demand; (x) strategies for addressing facilities needs of
46educational collaboratives; and (xi) any other issues affecting the ability of all students to attend
47school in high quality, accessible, safe, healthy and green school buildings.
48 (e) The authority and other state agencies shall make available to the commission any
49documents, data or materials in a timely manner when reasonably requested by the commission.
50The authority shall provide staff to assist the commission in completing its obligations under this
51section.
52 (f) The commission shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the
53clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on education and the senate
54and house committees on ways and means not later than June 1, 2026.