SB 1091: School facilities: school projects: accessible path of travel requirements.

The Field Act requires the Department of General Services under the police power of the state to supervise the design and construction of any school building or the reconstruction or alteration of or addition to any school building, if not exempted, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with adopted rules and regulations and building standards published in regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction is performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications for the protection of life and property.

The California Building Standards Code requires that specified buildings, structures, and facilities be accessible to, and useable by, persons with disabilities, including that when alterations or additions are made to existing buildings or facilities, an accessible path of travel to the specific area of alteration or addition is provided. Existing law limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

This bill would additionally limit the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to a school district, county office of education, or charter school project that is approved by the Division of the State Architect on or before December 31, 2030, and that improves community ecological health and climate resilience, or pupil well-being, learning, or pupil play, and incorporates nature, as provided, to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the school project. The bill would authorize the Division of the State Architect to adopt regulations to implement these provisions, as provided. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032.