Bill Text: NJ A5370 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes School Ventilation and Energy Efficiency Grant Program in DOE; appropriates $500 million.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-09-10 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A5370 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A5370-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes School Ventilation and Energy Efficiency Grant Program in DOE; appropriates $500 million.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning school facilities, supplementing P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-1 et al.), and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established the School Ventilation and Energy Efficiency Grant Program in the Department of Education. The Department of Education shall develop an application process to allocate funds under the program and the Schools Development Authority shall disburse funds under the program. The purpose of the program shall be to repair, maintain, upgrade, replace, and install heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in districts other than SDA districts to improve air quality and energy efficiency in school buildings. Under the program, a school district other than an SDA district may apply to the Commissioner of Education for a grant, in a manner and form prescribed by the commissioner.
b. The commissioner shall establish ventilation and filtration standards for all proposed new or replacement heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to be installed using grant funds. The commissioner may also establish cost-effectiveness standards for the program.
c. The commissioner shall establish a methodology for the awarding of grants under the program. The commissioner shall prioritize projects in districts other than SDA districts located in underserved communities in which at least 50 percent of students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program.
d. Grants provided under the program shall provide no more than 75 percent of the costs of projects selected by the commissioner. The State share payable to the district shall equal the product of the project's final eligible costs and the district aid percentage or 40 percent, whichever is greater. The funding of the State share shall not commence until the district secures financing for the local share.
e. Grants under the program shall be funded by moneys on deposit in the Regular Operating District Construction and Maintenance Grants Fund established pursuant to section 14 of P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-14).
2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Regular Operating District Construction and Maintenance Grants Fund the sum of $500,000,000 for the purpose of providing grants under the School Ventilation and Energy Efficiency Grant Program established pursuant to section 1 of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the School Ventilation and Energy Efficiency Grant Program in the Department of Education.
The purpose of the program is to repair, maintain, upgrade, replace, and install heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in districts other than SDA districts to improve air quality and energy efficiency in school buildings. The Department of Education will develop an application process to allocate funds under the program and the Schools Development Authority will disburse the funds.
Under the bill, a school district other than an SDA district may apply to the Commissioner of Education for a grant, in a manner and form prescribed by the commissioner. The commissioner will establish a methodology for the awarding of grants. The commissioner is required to prioritize projects in districts other than SDA districts located in underserved communities in which at least 50 percent of students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program.
The grants provided will finance no more than 75 percent of the costs of projects selected by the commissioner. The State share payable to the district will equal the product of the project's final eligible costs and the district aid percentage or 40 percent, whichever is greater. The funding of the State share will not commence until the district secures financing for the local share.
The program will be funded through the Regular Operating District Construction and Maintenance Grants Fund. The bill appropriates $500 million to that fund.
