2022 -- H 6625

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LC003584

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY

     

     Introduced By: Representative Robert E. Craven

     Date Introduced: January 06, 2022

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-105-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-105 entitled "School

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Building Authority" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-105-3. Roles and responsibilities.

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     The school building authority roles and responsibilities shall include:

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     (1) Management of a system with the goal of ensuring equitable and adequate school

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housing for all public school children in the state;

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     (2) Prevention of the cost of school housing from interfering with the effective operation

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of the schools;

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     (3) Management of school housing aid in accordance with statute;

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     (4) Reviewing and making recommendations to the council on elementary and secondary

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education on necessity of school construction applications for state school housing aid and the

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school building authority capital fund, based on the recommendations of the school building

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authority advisory board;

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     (5) Promulgating, managing, and maintaining school construction regulations, standards,

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and guidelines applicable to the school housing program, based on the recommendations of the

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school building authority advisory board, created in § 16-105-8. Said regulations shall require

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conformance with the minority business enterprise requirements set forth in § 37-14.1-6;

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     (6) Developing a prequalification and review process for prime contractors, architects, and

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engineers seeking to bid on projects in excess of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in total costs

 

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subject to inflation. Notwithstanding any general laws to the contrary, a prequalification shall be

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valid for a maximum of two (2) years from the date of issuance. Factors to be considered by the

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school building authority in granting a prequalification to prime contractors shall include, but not

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be limited to, the contractor's history of completing complex projects on time and on budget, track

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record of compliance with applicable environmental and safety regulations, evidence that

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completed prior projects prioritized the facility's future maintainability, and compliance with

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applicable requirements for the use of women and minority owned subcontractors;

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     (i) At least annually, a list of prequalified contractors, architects, and engineers shall be

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publicly posted with all other program information;

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     (7) Providing technical assistance and guidance to school districts on the necessity of

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school construction application process;

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     (8) Providing technical advice and assistance, training, and education to cities, towns,

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and/or local education agencies and to general contractors, subcontractors, construction or project

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managers, designers and others in planning, maintenance, and establishment of school facility

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space;

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     (9) Developing a project priority system, based on the recommendations of the school

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building authority advisory board, in accordance with school construction regulations for the school

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building authority capital fund, subject to review and, if necessary, to be revised on intervals not to

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exceed five (5) years. Project priorities shall include, but not be limited to, the following order of

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priorities:

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     (i) Projects to replace or renovate a building that is structurally unsound or otherwise in a

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condition seriously jeopardizing the health and safety of school children where no alternative exists;

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     (ii) Projects needed to prevent loss of accreditation;

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     (iii) Projects needed for the replacement, renovation, or modernization of the HVAC

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system in any schoolhouse to increase energy conservation and decrease energy-related costs in

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said schoolhouse;

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     (iv) Projects needed to replace or add to obsolete buildings in order to provide for a full

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range of programs consistent with state and approved local requirements; and

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     (v) Projects needed to comply with mandatory, instructional programs;

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     (10) Maintaining a current list of requested school projects and the priority given them;

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     (11) Collecting and maintaining readily available data on all the public school facilities in

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the state;

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     (12) Collecting, maintaining, and making publicly available quarterly progress reports of

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all ongoing school construction projects that shall include, at a minimum, the costs of the project

 

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and the time schedule of the project;

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     (13) Recommending policies and procedures designed to reduce borrowing for school

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construction programs at both state and local levels;

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     (14) At least every five (5) years, conducting a needs survey to ascertain the capital

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construction, reconstruction, maintenance, and other capital needs for schools in each district of the

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state, including public charter schools;

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     (15) Developing a formal enrollment projection model or using projection models already

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available;

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     (16) Encouraging local education agencies to investigate opportunities for the maximum

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utilization of space in and around the district;

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     (17) Collecting and maintaining a clearinghouse of prototypical school plans that may be

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consulted by eligible applicants;

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     (18) Retaining the services of consultants, as necessary, to effectuate the roles and

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responsibilities listed within this section;

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     (19) No district shall receive a combined total of more than twenty (20) incentive

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percentage points for projects that commence construction by December 30, 2023, and five (5)

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incentive points for projects that commence construction thereafter; provided further, these caps

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shall be in addition to amounts received under §§ 16-7-40(a)(1) and 16-7-40(a)(2). Furthermore, a

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district's share shall not be decreased by more than half of its regular share irrespective of the

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number of incentive points received, nor shall a district's state share increase by more than half of

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its regular share, including amounts received under §§ 16-7-40(a)(1) and 16-7-40(a)(2), irrespective

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of the number of incentive points received. Notwithstanding any provision of the general laws to

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the contrary, the reimbursement or aid received under this chapter or chapter 38.2 of title 45 shall

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not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the sum of the total project costs plus interest costs. If

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a two hundred and fifty million dollar ($250,000,000) general obligation bond is approved on the

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November 2018 ballot, projects approved between May 1, 2015, and January 1, 2018, are eligible

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to receive incentive points (above and beyond what the project was awarded at the time of approval)

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pursuant to § 16-7-39 and § 16-7-40. Provided, however, any project approved during this time

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period with a project cost in excess of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000),

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which does not include an owner's program manager and a commissioning agent, shall only be

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eligible to receive five (5) incentive points. Incentive points awarded pursuant to the provisions of

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this subsection shall only be applied to reimbursements occurring on or after July 1, 2018. Any

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project approved between May 1, 2015, and January 1, 2018, that is withdrawn and/or resubmitted

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for approval shall not be eligible for any incentive points. Projects approved after July 1, 2022, that

 

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do not award or utilize at least fifty-one percent (51%) of a project's architectural services and one

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hundred percent (100%) of project educational design services to a Rhode Island based architectural

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firm shall only be eligible to receive five (5) incentive points.

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     (20) For purposes of this section, a "Rhode Island based architectural firm" means:

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     (i) A business with a principal place of business or headquarters located within the state;

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     (ii) A business in which a minimum of fifty-one percent (51%) of its employees reside

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within the state; and

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     (iii) In the case of a corporation or limited liability company, is registered with the secretary

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of state as a domestic corporation or limited liability company for at least the previous five (5)

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consecutive years.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2022.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY

***

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     This act would provide for school construction projects approved after July 1, 2022, that

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do not utilize at least fifty-one percent (51%) of a project's architectural services and one hundred

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percent (100%) of project educational design services shall only be eligible to receive five (5)

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incentive points.

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     This act would take effect on July 1, 2022.

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