April 28, 2026
The Honorable Marvin Abney
Chair, House Finance Committee
Rhode Island State House
82 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02903
RE: H7582
Dear Chair and Members of the Committee,
On behalf of educators across Rhode Island, I write in strong support of House Bill 7582, legislation that establishes important standards and oversight for monitoring and improving indoor air quality in our public schools.
Students and educators spend most of their day inside school buildings, and the air they breathe directly affects health, concentration, and ability to teach and learn. When indoor air quality is poor, students are more likely to experience headaches, fatigue, and respiratory issues that can interfere with learning and increase absenteeism. Ensuring safe and healthy air quality in schools is therefore not only a facilities issue, but also a student health and educational equity issue.
House Bill 7582 takes an important step forward by establishing clear, science-based guidelines for environmental conditions in schools, including temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels, particulate matter, ventilation, and filtration. By aligning assessments with nationally recognized professional engineering standards, the legislation ensures that Rhode Island’s school facilities are evaluated using widely accepted best practices.
The bill also strengthens the statewide school facility needs assessment by requiring periodic inspections of indoor air quality and HVAC performance. These evaluations will help identify deficiencies early, provide districts with cost estimates for improvements, and ensure transparency by making results accessible to school leaders and the public.
Every student and educator deserves to learn and work in a school environment that supports their health and well-being. House Bill 7582 moves Rhode Island closer to that goal by establishing clear standards and improving oversight of indoor air quality in our schools.
For these reasons, we respectfully urge the committee to support House Bill 7582.
Sincerely,
Alexander Lucini
Government Relations Director, NEARI
