2021 -- H 5068

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LC000079

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Alzate, and Shallcross Smith

     Date Introduced: January 22, 2021

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-21 of the General Laws entitled "Health and Safety of Pupils" is

hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     16-21-37. Healthy school buildings and grounds.

     (a) Healthy school buildings and grounds required. Healthy school buildings and school

grounds are key factors in the overall health and safety of students and staff. School buildings and

grounds must be designed and maintained to be accessible and free of health and safety hazards,

and to promote learning and school engagement. In order to achieve good indoor air quality, school

departments must ensure proper ventilation, filtration, moisture and humidity management, and

contaminate source control. In the furtherance of good air quality, the provision of this section shall

be required for all new school buildings constructed on or after July 1, 2021.

     (b) Prohibition on mobile fossil-fuel-powered equipment use indoors. All fossil-fuel-

powered machinery that is mobile and whose specific function is for use inside any school building

is prohibited. The purpose of this prohibition is to prevent accumulation of exhaust inside the

building from equipment such as polishers and burnishers. This prohibition in this section does not

include stationary equipment such as gas stoves, chemistry equipment, and vocational equipment.

     (c) School electronic devices.

     (1) All school electronic devices, including computers, imaging devices, and television and

audio/visual systems, shall meet the requirements of the Electronic Product Environmental

Assessment Tool (EPEAT) rating system, Silver or Gold level. All exposed cables and cords shall

not contain any of the three phthalate esters of concern given in Consumer Product Safety

Improvement Act (CPSIA), Section 108(a) above one-tenth (0.1%) by weight.

     (2) As used in this section, the term "phthalate esters of concern" means: di-(2 ethylhexyl)

phthalate (DEPH), CAS 117-81-7; di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), CAS 84-74-2; and butyl benzyl

phthalate (BBP), CAS 85-68-7. Testing and analysis shall be conducted following CPSC-CH-

C1001-09.3, 2010 and U.S. EPA Method 8270D.

     (d) Purchase of ENERGY STAR® equipment and appliances.

     (1) All newly purchased equipment and appliances to be used in a school shall be compliant

in all product categories covered by the ENERGY STAR® program. All low-efficiency products,

including incandescent lights, halogen torchieres, and portable electrical resistance heaters are

prohibited from use. When ENERGY STAR® compliant equipment is not available, the project

owner should submit a notice of exception to the relevant high performance school administrators.

     (2) As used herein, the term "ENERGY STAR®" means the same-named joint program

between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which

program promotes the adoption of energy-efficient products and practices.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

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     This act would promote healthy school buildings and grounds by prohibiting the use of

certain appliances in school buildings and by requiring that all newly purchased equipment and

appliances to be used in a school be compliant in all product categories covered by the ENERGY

STAR® program. This act would also require that all school electronic devices, including

computers, imaging devices, and TV/AV systems, meet the requirements of the EPEAT rating

system

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC000079

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