Bill
S 542
Requires Massachusetts K-12 school ventilation standards and pandemic measures (ACH, outdoor air, CO2 limits, filters/cleaners) to reduce airborne disease transmission.
Status & procedural notes
- Filed/Presented: Senate Docket No. 173 (filed 01/09/2025); presented by Bruce E. Tarr. Official introduction actions listed Feb 12, 2025.
- Committee referrals appear inconsistent in available metadata (Children & Families; Emergency Preparedness & Management; Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs). A hearing is listed for 10/22/2025.
- Note: available bill text (reported below) focuses on school ventilation standards. Some provided metadata (title referencing mandatory reporting of child abuse, sponsor lists, and related bill numbers) conflict with the bill text; this summary is based on the bill language included in the packet.
Purpose / intent
- Establish statewide minimum ventilation, indoor environmental, and pandemic-response requirements for school buildings (pre-K through grade 12, including approved private schools) to reduce airborne transmission of infectious disease and improve health and comfort for students and staff.
Key provisions
- New statutory section inserted into Chapter 149 (proposed Section 117A) creating definitions, performance standards, pandemic-specific measures, and compliance/inspection obligations.
- Definitions include: “advanced technologies” (e.g., Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation — UVGI — and bipolar ionization), “filtered air” (MERV‑13 or higher filters or portable air cleaners), “portable air cleaner” (HEPA devices), “air changes per hour (ACH)”, “fresh air”, and others.
- General ventilation performance (must be met within two years): occupied spaces must meet at least one of:
- Minimum 4 air changes per hour (ACH) of fresh air; OR
- Minimum 20 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of outdoor air per person; OR
- Maximum 800 parts per million (ppm) CO2.
- Bathrooms: must comply with current Massachusetts Building Code (and during pandemics, have exhaust capable of maintaining negative pressure and run constantly).
- Temperature: occupied spaces maintained between 66°F and 78°F.
- Pandemic-triggered measures (upon WHO, HHS, or Governor declaration):
- Ventilation must reduce airborne transmission risk by 95% using fresh air, portable air cleaners, or advanced technologies.
- Nurses’ offices and designated medical waiting areas must meet ASHRAE Standard 170 (healthcare ventilation standard).
- Relative humidity maintained between 40%–60%.
- Schools must provide disinfectants, handwashing/cleaning areas, and personal protective equipment per public‑health best practices.
- Testing, Adjustment, Balancing (TAB) and maintenance: local education authorities are required to conduct assessments, testing, adjustments, balancing, repairs, and ongoing activities to ensure systems meet the standards (detailed TAB provisions are present but the posted text is truncated).
Implementation & timelines
- Department of Labor Standards (referred to as “the Department”) must promulgate regulations within 9 months of the statute’s effective date, in consultation with the Occupational Health and Safety Hazard Advisory Committee.
- Performance standards: compliance required “as soon as practicable but no later than two years” after the effective date.
- Pandemic measures are conditionally triggered by an official declaration of pandemic or public‑health emergency.
Who is affected
- Local education authorities (public school districts and approved private school operators) — responsible for implementation, assessments, and repairs.
- Students, educators, school staff — beneficiaries of improved indoor air quality and infection control.
- Department of Labor Standards — regulatory role.
- Potential involvement of employee organizations during implementation processes.
Potential impacts and considerations
- Public-health benefit: intended to reduce airborne disease transmission, enhance comfort, and standardize school ventilation.
- Costs: likely capital and operating costs for HVAC upgrades, filtration (MERV‑13), HEPA portable units, advanced technologies (e.g., UVGI), TAB services, and ongoing maintenance — impacts vary by building condition and existing systems.
- Operational complexity: compliance monitoring, procurement of equipment (PPE, cleaners), and meeting ASHRAE 170 in medical spaces may require technical assistance and funding.
- The bill text available is truncated in places (testing/TAB details), so implementation specifics and enforcement mechanisms may be more fully defined in the complete version.
For the authoritative text and the bill’s current legislative status, consult the Massachusetts legislative docket for S.542 and any updated versions or committee reports.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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