Bill to Speed School Repairs Passed

A bill to speed up public school construction projects throughout California passed the Assembly on Monday, clearing the way for the installation of air conditioning in local schools that have faced lengthy delays.

The Assembly approved AB 611, which is designed to help school districts and community colleges cut red tape when they pursue minor repair and construction jobs.

Under existing state law, school districts must submit blueprints to the Division of the State Architect for projects costing more than $20,000--a process that can take as long as a year to complete.

The new measure would raise the threshold to $100,000. Projects costing less than that would be reviewed by a structural engineer, who would submit a report to the state architect’s office.

The bill also would alter state codes to allow school districts to “prequalify” contractors for one-year periods rather than qualifying them anew for individual projects.

Los Angeles Unified School District officials, who had sought the bill earlier this year, greeted its approval enthusiastically.

“I’m delighted,” said L.A. school board President Julie Korenstein. “This will certainly move along our process for repairs and air conditioning in schools. We look forward to the governor signing the bill.”

Gov. Pete Wilson has 12 days to sign the bill, which passed the Assembly on a 75-0 vote; it passed the state Senate last month on a 33-0 vote.

A spokesman said the governor had not seen the bill and could not comment. But the measure’s author, Assembly Majority Leader Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles), said his staff worked with Wilson’s office on the legislation.

Villaraigosa said he expected Wilson to sign the measure, which he said would take effect immediately.

“It puts nonstructural alteration projects on a fast track,” said Villaraigosa. “It was clear to me there was a serious problem here with delays.”

Concern mounted in May, after The Times reported that it would take up to four years for the district to install air conditioning in more than 300 schools promised under Proposition BB, a $2.4-billion school bond measure approved by Los Angeles voters in April. Villaraigosa served as a co-chairman of the Proposition BB campaign.

Los Angeles Unified administrators said the delays were caused in part by the approvals required by the state and laws requiring that construction firms be hired for each project through a public bidding process.

Los Angeles district officials traveled to Sacramento in May to address the issue and persuaded Villaraigosa to carry the legislation. The local officials also secured a pledge by Joanne Kozberg, the head of the State and Consumer Services Agency, which oversees the offices that handle school repairs and construction, to cut through administrative barriers.

Kozberg told the officials that an ombudsman would be appointed by the Division of the State Architect and the Office of Public School Construction to expedite air conditioning and other projects.