By Luna                                                H.B. No. 737
         77R2603 BDH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to certification of historically underutilized businesses
 1-3     by certain nonprofit organizations.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 2161.061, Government Code, is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 2161.061.  COMMISSION CERTIFICATION OF HISTORICALLY
 1-8     UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES[;  MUNICIPAL CERTIFICATION]. (a)  The
 1-9     commission shall certify historically underutilized businesses.
1-10           (b)  As one of its certification procedures, the commission
1-11     may:
1-12                 (1)  approve the certification program of one or more
1-13     local governments and nonprofit organizations in this state that
1-14     certify historically underutilized businesses, minority business
1-15     enterprises, women's business enterprises, or disadvantaged
1-16     business enterprises under substantially the same definition, to
1-17     the extent applicable, used by Section 2161.001; and
1-18                 (2)  certify a business certified under a [the] local
1-19     government or nonprofit organization program as a historically
1-20     underutilized business under this chapter.
1-21           (c)  To maximize the number of certified historically
1-22     underutilized businesses, the commission shall enter into
1-23     agreements with local governments and nonprofit organizations in
1-24     this state that conduct certification programs described by
 2-1     Subsection (b).  The agreements must take effect immediately and:
 2-2                 (1)  allow for automatic certification of businesses
 2-3     certified under the local government or nonprofit organization
 2-4     program;
 2-5                 (2)  provide for the efficient updating of the
 2-6     commission database containing information about historically
 2-7     underutilized businesses and potential historically underutilized
 2-8     businesses; and
 2-9                 (3)  provide for a method by which the commission may
2-10     efficiently communicate with businesses certified under a [the]
2-11     local government or nonprofit organization program and provide
2-12     those businesses with information about the state historically
2-13     underutilized business program.
2-14           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-15     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-16     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-17     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-18     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.