An Act Directing the Bureau of General Services to Ensure Adequate Air Quality in All State-owned and State-leased Buildings
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1173
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: MONTELL, CARNEY, ANKELES, COPELAND, KESSLER, MALON, O'CONNELL, RISEMAN, SHAGOURY
Amends: 5 MRSA §1742-H

Legislative Document
No. 1173
H.P. 745
House of Representatives, March 14, 2023
An Act Directing the Bureau of General Services to Ensure 
Adequate Air Quality in All State-owned and State-leased Buildings
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MONTELL of Gardiner.
Cosponsored by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland and
Representatives: ANKELES of Brunswick, COPELAND of Saco, KESSLER of South 
Portland, MALON of Biddeford, O'CONNELL of Brewer, RISEMAN of Harrison, 
SHAGOURY of Hallowell.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §1742-H is enacted to read:
§1742-H.  Bureau of General Services; air quality assurance in state-owned and state-
leased buildings
The Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of General Services 
shall ensure adequate air quality in buildings owned or leased by the State, whether used 
by the executive, judicial or legislative branches, including but not limited to buildings in 
the State House complex.  In order to ensure adequate air quality, the department shall test, 
inspect and monitor all factors that may affect air quality in each building, including by 
testing for radon, formaldehyde, mold, microbial growth, vermin and any other potential 
source of air contamination.  The department shall develop and implement action plans to 
remedy air quality issues that are discovered and to maintain adequate air quality, including 
but not limited to action plans for inspecting and, as appropriate, installing, renovating or 
redesigning building ventilation systems.
Sec. 2.  Report and recommendations.  By January 15, 2024, the Department of 
Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of General Services shall provide to the 
Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs a report on its testing 
and inspection of buildings as required under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 
1742-H together with a report of action plans developed or implemented under that section 
as well as an estimate of any costs the department identifies to complete actions necessary 
to ensure adequate air quality in accordance with that section.  The Joint Standing 
Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs may report out a bill to the Second 
Regular Session of the 131st Legislature to fund all costs identified by the department in 
its report.
SUMMARY
This bill does the following.
1. It directs the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of 
General Services to ensure adequate air quality in buildings owned or leased by the State, 
whether used by the executive, judicial or legislative branches, including but not limited to 
buildings in the State House complex.  The department is directed to test, inspect and 
monitor all factors that may affect air quality in each building and develop and implement 
action plans to remedy air quality issues that are discovered and to maintain adequate air 
quality. 
2. By January 15, 2024, it directs the Department of Administrative and Financial 
Services, Bureau of General Services to provide to the Joint Standing Committee on 
Appropriations and Financial Affairs a report on its testing and inspection of buildings 
together with a report of action plans developed or implemented as well as an estimate of 
any costs the department identifies to complete actions necessary to ensure adequate air 
quality.  The Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs may report 
out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature to fund all costs identified 
by the department in its report.