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An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the School Revolving Renovation Fund
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §6006-F, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. OOOO, §2, is further amended to read:
 
A. To make loans to school administrative units for school repair and renovation.
 
(1) The following repair and renovation needs receive first priority status:
 
(a) Repair or replacement of a roof on a school building;
 
(b) Bringing a school building into compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 United States Code, Section 12101 et seq.;
 
(c) Improving air quality in a school building;
 
(d) Removing asbestos from or abating asbestos in a school building; and
 
(f) Undertaking other health, safety and compliance repairs.; and
 
(g) Making repairs and renovations to improve energy efficiency.
 
(2) RepairsExcept as provided in subparagraph (1), division (g), repairs and improvements not related to health, safety and compliance repairs receive 2nd priority status. Those repairs and improvements are limited to a school building structure, windows and doors and to a school building water or septic system.
 
(3) Upgrade of learning spaces in school buildings and small-scale capital improvements receive 3rd priority status.
 
(4) The Commissioner of Education may approve other necessary repairs.
 
(5) After the total amount appropriated, allocated and repaid to the fund exceeds $75,000,000, loans may be provided for 2nd priority status, 3rd priority status or other necessary repairs, improvements and upgrades, with approval of the Commissioner of Education, based on rules adopted under this section, as long as the Commissioner of Education determines that substantial progress has been made in addressing repairs and renovations with first priority status;
Sec. 2. Rules. The Department of Education shall amend its rules governing the School Revolving Renovation Fund established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 6006-F, subsection 1 to provide that the maximum total loans for repairs, renovations and improvement projects for first priority, 2nd priority, 3rd priority and other projects for a school building from the fund is $9,000,000. The maximum loan amount from the fund to address all first priority projects in a school building must be $3,000,000. The maximum loan amount from the fund to address all 2nd priority projects in a school building must be $3,000,000. The maximum loan amount from the fund to address all 3rd priority projects in a school building must be $3,000,000, except that, in a case in which a school administrative unit documents to the department's satisfaction that all first priority and 2nd priority issues have been addressed in that school without fund support, the maximum loan amount from the fund to address all 3rd priority projects in that school must be $6,000,000. If first priority and 2nd priority issues have not been addressed, then the maximum amount from the fund to address 3rd priority projects must be $3,000,000. A school building may qualify for a combination of loans from the fund for first priority, 2nd priority, 3rd priority and other projects, but in no case may the total of the loans exceed $9,000,000.
 
SUMMARY
This bill amends the laws governing the School Revolving Renovation Fund to provide that repairs and renovations to improve energy efficiency qualify for first priority status in determining which loans to school administrative units are approved. It also increases from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 the maximum loan amount from the fund to address first priority, 2nd priority or 3rd priority projects. It increases from $3,000,000 to $9,000,000 the maximum total loans from the fund for which a school building is eligible.