(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 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 or a regional educational service center 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 the effective date of this section, or (B) is commenced on or after the effective date of this section.

(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 local or regional board of education’s or regional educational service center’s ability 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, 2024, has not certified compliance with the uniform inspection and evaluation of an existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning system pursuant to subsection (d) of § 10-220.

(c) (1) 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 § 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 § 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.

(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) No grant funds received under this section by a local or regional board of education or a regional educational service center shall be used to supplant local matching requirements for federal or state funding otherwise received by such district for 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.

(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.