(a)For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department of Administrative Services shall administer a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system grant program to reimburse local and regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, incorporated or endowed high schools or academies approved by the State Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-34, and state charter schools for costs associated with projects for the installation, replacement or upgrading of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings.
(b)(1) A local or regional board of education, regional educational service center, incorporated or endowed high school or academy or state charter school may a
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(a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department of Administrative Services shall administer a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system grant program to reimburse local and regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, incorporated or endowed high schools or academies approved by the State Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-34, and state charter schools for costs associated with projects for the installation, replacement or upgrading of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings. (b) (1) A local or regional board of education, regional educational service center, incorporated or endowed high school or academy or state charter school may apply, at such time and in such manner as the Commissioner of Administrative Services prescribes, for a grant for a project involving the installation, replacement or upgrading of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings. A local or regional board of education may submit an application for any such project that (A) was commenced on or after March 1, 2020, and completed before July 1, 2022, or (B) is commenced on or after July 1, 2022. (2) The commissioner shall develop eligibility criteria for the awarding of grants under the program. Such criteria shall include, but need not be limited to, (A) the age and condition of the current heating, ventilation and air conditioning system or equipment being replaced or upgraded in the school, (B) current air quality issues at the school, (C) the age and condition of the overall school building, (D) the school district's master plan, (E) the availability of maintenance records, (F) a contract or plans for the routine maintenance and cleaning of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, and (G) the ability of the local or regional board of education, regional educational service center, incorporated or endowed high school or academy or state charter school to finance the remainder of the costs for such project after receiving a grant under the program. The commissioner shall utilize such eligibility criteria when determining whether to award a grant to an applicant under the program. (3) The commissioner shall not award a grant under the program to any applicant that, on or after July 1, 2026, has not certified compliance with the uniform inspection and evaluation of an existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning system pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10-220 . (c) (1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (5) of this subsection, a local board of education may receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses. The percentage shall be determined by its ranking. Such ranking shall be determined as follows: (A) Each town shall be ranked in descending order from one to one hundred sixty-nine according to the adjusted equalized net grand list per capita, as defined in section 10-261 , of the town two, three and four years prior to the fiscal year in which application is made, (B) based upon such ranking, a percentage of not less than twenty or more than eighty shall be assigned to each town on a continuous scale, and (C) the town ranked first shall be assigned a percentage of twenty and the town ranked last shall be assigned a percentage of eighty. (2) A regional board of education may receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses. The percentage shall be determined by its ranking. Such ranking shall be determined as follows: (A) Multiplying the total population, as defined in section 10-261 , of each town in the district by such town's ranking, as determined in subdivision (1) of this subsection, (B) adding together the figures determined under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, and (C) dividing the total computed under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision by the total population of all towns in the district. The ranking of each regional board of education shall be rounded to the next higher whole number and each such board shall receive the same reimbursement percentage as would a town with the same rank plus ten per cent, except that no such percentage shall exceed eighty-five per cent. (3) A regional educational service center may receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses. The percentage shall be determined by its ranking. Such ranking shall be determined by (A) multiplying the population of each member town in the regional educational service center by such town's ranking, as determined in subdivision (1) of this subsection, (B) adding together the figures for each town determined under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, and (C) dividing the total computed under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision by the total population of all member towns in the regional educational service center. The ranking of each regional educational service center shall be rounded to the next higher whole number and each such center shall receive the same reimbursement percentage as would a town with the same rank. (4) An incorporated or endowed high school or academy approved by the State Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-34 , may receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses. The percentage shall be determined by its ranking. Such ranking shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of section 10-285b . (5) A state charter school may receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses. The percentage shall be one-half of the percentage of the town in which the state charter school is located, as determined by its ranking in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection. (6) The local board of education for (A) any town with a total population of eighty thousand or greater shall receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses that is the greater of the percentage calculated pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection or sixty per cent, and (B) the town of Cheshire shall receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses that is the greater of the percentage calculated pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection or fifty per cent. (d) If there are not sufficient funds to provide grants to all local and regional boards of education and regional educational service centers, based on the percentage determined pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the commissioner shall give priority to applicants on behalf of schools with the greatest need for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings, as determined by the commissioner based on the eligibility criteria developed pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section. (e) The following expenses shall not be eligible for reimbursement under this section: (1) Routine maintenance and cleaning of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, (2) work that is otherwise eligible for a school building project grant under chapter 173, and (3) work performed at or on a public school administrative or service facility that is not located or housed within a public school building. (f) A local or regional board of education or a regional educational service center may use any federal funds received by such board or center to finance a project for the installation, replacement or upgrading of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings for which a grant is received under this section, and such federal funds shall be deemed to be part or all of the town's local share for such project. (g) Any project for the installation, replacement or upgrading of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings for which a grant is awarded under this section shall be completed by the end of the next calendar year, unless the duration of such project is extended by the commissioner upon a showing of good cause by the local or regional board of education or regional educational service center. (h) Any local or regional board of education or regional educational service center that receives a grant under this section shall (1) be responsible for the routine maintenance and cleaning of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, and (2) provide training to school personnel and building maintenance staff concerning the proper use and maintenance of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. (i) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2026, the commissioner shall reconsider any application for a grant under this section that was submitted by a local or regional board of education or regional educational service center prior to July 1, 2024, and which the commissioner had denied. Such board or center shall not be required to submit a new application for such reconsideration, unless the reason for such denial was that such application was incomplete or the commissioner determines that additional information or revision to such application is necessary to be able to award a grant. The commissioner shall provide technical assistance during such reconsideration period to such boards and centers in order to assist such boards in being able to be awarded a grant under this section.