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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2590 |
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TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to classroom climate control.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that studies indicate an achievement gap that is as high as seventeen per cent between air conditioned and non-air conditioned classrooms. On average, Hawaii's public school classrooms are over sixty-five years old and do not have the necessary electrical infrastructure to support traditional air conditioning technology. The department of education recently estimated that the cost to provide air conditioning would be approximately $110,000 per classroom.
The legislature further finds that available energy efficient technology, including off-grid and photovoltaic technology, will reduce the electrical burden and cost of classroom cooling. Employing a combination of on-grid, off-grid, and photovoltaic technology could reduce the per classroom cost of air conditioning to $20,000, or a total of $140,000,000 for the seven thousand classrooms currently in need of air conditioning.
The purpose of this Act is to provide energy-efficient air conditioning to all public school classrooms by the 2021-2022 school year.
SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§302A- Classroom climate control and cooling. (a) Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, the department shall develop a plan to air condition public schools that includes a mix of technologies, including off-grid technology, photovoltaic technology, and split air conditioning units.
(b) Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the department shall develop a master plan to provide air conditioning to all public school classrooms that meet or exceed a temperature of ninety degrees Fahrenheit, including a list of priority schools to receive air conditioning by the 2018-2019 school year.
(c) No later than the 2019-2020 school year, the department shall provide air conditioning to at least fifty per cent of public school classrooms that meet or exceed a temperature of ninety degrees Fahrenheit.
(d) No later than the 2021-2022 school year, the department shall provide air conditioning to all public school classrooms that meet or exceed a temperature of ninety degrees Fahrenheit."
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the initiation and expansion of projects that demonstrate efficient methods to air condition public school facilities, including, but not limited to, photovoltaic and off-grid technology.
SECTION 4. The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary is appropriated for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the purpose of funding public school air conditioning projects.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 5. The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2018, shall lapse as of that date.
SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2016.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Department of Education; Classroom Climate Control; Air Conditioning; Appropriation
Description:
Requires the department of education to develop a plan to provide air conditioning to all public school classrooms that meet or exceed a temperature of ninety degrees Fahrenheit, and provides appropriations to fund the plan.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.