Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S309 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1324 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 309
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jason M. Lewis
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 review the adequacy and equity of the
13	13	Massachusetts school building program.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Jason M. LewisFifth MiddlesexRebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex1/23/2023Kate Lipper-Garabedian32nd Middlesex2/23/2023 1 of 3
17	17	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1324 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
18	18	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 309
19	19	By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 309) of Jason M. Lewis, Rebecca L.
20	20	Rausch and Kate Lipper-Garabedian for legislation to establish a special commission to review
21	21	the adequacy and equity of the Massachusetts school building program. Education.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE SENATE, NO. 2727 OF 2021-2022.]
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
27	27	(2023-2024)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act establishing a special commission to review the adequacy and equity of the
30	30	Massachusetts school building program.
31	31	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
32	32	of the same, as follows:
33	33	1 SECTION 1. (a) For the purposes of this section, the word “authority” shall mean the
34	34	2Massachusetts School Building Authority established in section 1A of chapter 70B of the
35	35	3General Laws.
36	36	4 (b) There shall be a special commission to study and make recommendations regarding
37	37	5the: (i) capacity of the authority to meet the needs of current and future school facility projects;
38	38	6and (ii) racial, ethnic, socio-economic and geographic equity of the grant funding formula to
39	39	7ensure that all communities can participate in the program.
40	40	8 (c) The commission shall consist of: 2 members appointed by the senate president, 1 of
41	41	9whom shall be the senate chair of the joint committee on education and 1 of whom shall serve as 2 of 3
42	42	10co-chair; 2 members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall
43	43	11be the house chair of the joint committee on education, and 1 of whom shall serve as co-chair; 1
44	44	12member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 1 member appointed by the minority
45	45	13leader of the house of representatives; the secretary of education or a designee; the commissioner
46	46	14of elementary and secondary education or a designee; the executive director of the authority or a
47	47	15designee; 2 members appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a
48	48	16gateway city with knowledge of municipal finance and 1 of whom shall be an individual with
49	49	17demonstrated expertise in the design and construction of cost-effective school buildings; 2
50	50	18members appointed by the state treasurer, 1 of whom shall be an individual with demonstrated
51	51	19expertise in the design and construction of green buildings and 1 of whom shall be an individual
52	52	20with demonstrated expertise in public health and indoor environmental quality in school
53	53	21buildings; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents,
54	54	22Inc.; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc.; 1
55	55	23member appointed by the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, Inc.; 1
56	56	24member appointed by the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Institute for Architects; 1
57	57	25member appointed by the Massachusetts Facilities Administrators Association, Inc.; 1 member
58	58	26appointed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association; 1 member appointed by the American
59	59	27Federation of Teachers Massachusetts; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Taxpayers
60	60	28Foundation, Inc.; and 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Building Trades Council.
61	61	29 (d) The commission shall investigate and make recommendations on: (i) the current and
62	62	30future need to renovate and rebuild school facilities and the availability of adequate state and
63	63	31local resources, and the extent to which current state funding for the authority may need to be
64	64	32increased to meet this need; (ii) the authority's existing grant formula and potential modifications 3 of 3
65	65	33to the formula to ensure fairness and equity for all communities; (iii) the alignment of the
66	66	34authority's construction cost reimbursement rate relative to the actual cost of construction and
67	67	35other authority policies that impact eligible project costs for reimbursement; (iv) incentive
68	68	36percentage points, including, but not limited to, how incentive percentage points are calculated
69	69	37for municipalities that qualify for 80 per cent reimbursement; (v) reimbursement policies for
70	70	38regional technical and vocational schools and how to ensure affordability for all member
71	71	39communities; (vi) reimbursement policies to help the commonwealth achieve its environmental
72	72	40and greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals; (vii) reimbursement policies that support healthy
73	73	41school facilities for students and staff; (viii) whether the authority should be authorized to spend
74	74	42money on equipment or the authority should be limited to funding for education structures; (ix)
75	75	43whether the authority should add incentives for educational spaces approved under chapter 74 of
76	76	44the General Laws in programs that align to labor market demand; and (x) any other issues
77	77	45affecting the ability for all students in the commonwealth to attend school in high quality,
78	78	46accessible, safe, healthy and green school buildings.
79	79	47 (e) The authority and any other state agency shall make available to the commission in a
80	80	48timely manner any documents, data or other materials that are reasonably requested by the
81	81	49commission.
82	82	50 (f) The commission shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the
83	83	51clerks of the house of representatives and senate, the joint committee on education and the house
84	84	52and senate committees on ways and means not later than December 1, 2025.