Bill Text: NH HB604 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to the procedures for approval of plans, specifications, and costs of school building construction or renovation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-10-26 - House Proposed Committee Amendment #2011-2778h [HB604 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2011-HB604-Introduced.html
HB 604 – AS INTRODUCED
2011 SESSION
04/03
HOUSE BILL 604
AN ACT relative to the procedures for approval of plans, specifications, and costs of school building construction or renovation.
SPONSORS: Rep. Ladd, Graf 5; Rep. Jasper, Hills 27; Rep. Boehm, Hills 27; Sen. Stiles, Dist 24
This bill requires the commissioner of the department of education to prioritize school building proposals according to the type of construction or renovation proposed.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
11-0830
04/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven
AN ACT relative to the procedures for approval of plans, specifications, and costs of school building construction or renovation.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 School Building Aid; Approval of Plans, Specifications, and Costs. Amend RSA 198:15-c to read as follows:
198:15-c Approval of Plans, Specifications, and Costs of Construction or Purchase.
I. A school district maintaining approved schools, desiring to avail itself of the grants herein provided shall have the plans, specifications, and cost estimates for school plant construction or proposals for the purchase of school buildings, or both, and the costs for them approved by the state board prior to the start of construction. For this purpose the district shall submit its plans, specifications, cost, and purchase estimates in writing to the department of education on such forms as the department prescribes. A school district shall also submit a copy of any application for energy efficiency reimbursement under RSA 374-F. The department of education shall coordinate with the public utilities commission to ensure that eligible school districts have submitted applications for funding reimbursement and technical assistance as available from energy utility companies to promote indoor air quality and energy efficiency in public schools. Application for school building aid shall be submitted before January 1 of each year in order to be eligible for school building aid in the fiscal year following the year of submittal.
II.(a) Each fiscal year, the commissioner of the department of education shall develop a list of all school building proposals submitted by school districts and shall categorize each proposal based on the following criteria in descending order of priority:
(1) Priority 1: Health, safety, or compliance issues including roof upgrades, improvements to indoor air quality, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, asbestos mitigation, and other similar issues.
(2) Priority 2: Repairs and improvements not related to health, safety, or compliance, including repairs and improvements to school building structures, windows, doors, or water supply or waste disposal systems.
(3) Priority 3: Upgrades of learning spaces and minor capital improvements.
(b) The commissioner shall recommend those proposals to be funded to the state board of education for approval. Those proposals not approved shall be assigned the highest priority in the next fiscal year.
III. The department of education shall not approve the plans, specifications, cost, or purchase estimates, if in the department’s judgment the facilities planned will not adequately meet the educational requirements, or if its cost estimates are excessive or unreasonable. The department of education shall not approve the plans, specifications, cost, or purchase estimates if in the department’s judgment the proposed construction or purchase is in conflict with effective statewide planning pursuant to RSA 9-A or the principles of smart growth pursuant to RSA 9-B. The department of education shall not approve the plans, specifications, cost, or purchase estimates if, in the department’s judgment, the school district has failed to comply with the school district facility maintenance plan, unless good cause is shown for the noncompliance in which case the department may approve the school district’s request. Necessary costs of the purchase of school buildings may be determined by any recognized method of real estate appraisal with appropriate adjustments for remodeling or other expenditures. Upon approval of the construction or purchase, or both, by the department of education, the school district shall be entitled to receive an annual grant as provided herein.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
