School facilities: indoor air quality.

The Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998 establishes a program under which the State Allocation Board allocates funding for new construction and modernization of school facilities to school districts that apply for an allocation of state funds. The act requires a school district, as part of its application for funding under the act, to certify that it has considered the feasibility of using designs and materials for the project that promote, among other things, the maximum use of natural light and indoor air quality. This bill would require a school district to ensure that school facilities meet the minimum requirements of regulations enacted by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board that govern the quality of air provided to employees in places of employment. The bill would require school districts to use contractors who have been certified by a nationally recognized organization for the inspection, maintenance, and repair of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems. By adding to the duties of school districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.