Substitute Bill No. 5347 Summary

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Administrative Services to enter into grant commitments for 15 school building projects totaling approximately $769 million in estimated project costs and $576 million in estimated state grants, contingent on committee approval by February 1, 2024.

• Reauthorizes 3 previously approved Hartford school projects (Betances Learning Lab Magnet School, Fred D. Wish Museum School, and E.B. Kennelly School) with increased cost and grant amounts ranging from $66.8 million to $88.1 million in total project costs.

• Modifies school building project application requirements to require total project cost funding authorization rather than just local share authorization, effective July 1, 2024.

• Increases state grant percentages for early childhood care and education programs from 5 to 15 percentage points and for full-day preschool programs in priority districts from 10 to 15 percentage points.

• Reduces audit timeframes for school building projects from five years to two years and requires construction managers to retain project documents for two years following audit completion.