By:  Howard (Senate Sponsor - Carona)                             H.B. No. 845
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 14, 2003; 
April 15, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on State 
Affairs; May 15, 2003, reported favorably by the following vote:  
Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 15, 2003, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to a purchasing preference for Texas vendors.                      
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 2155.444, Government 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 2155.444.  PREFERENCE TO TEXAS AND UNITED STATES 
PRODUCTS AND TEXAS SERVICES.
	SECTION 2.  Section 2155.444, Government Code, is amended by 
amending Subsection (c) and by adding Subsection (e) to read as 
follows:
	(c)  In this section: [,]                              
		(1) "Agricultural [agricultural] products" includes 
textiles and other similar products.
		(2)  "Texas bidder" means a business:                                  
			(A)  incorporated in this state;                                      
			(B)  that has its principal place of business in 
this state; or     
			(C)  that has an established physical presence in 
this state.       
	(e)  The commission and all state agencies procuring 
services shall give preference to services offered by a Texas 
bidder if:
		(1)  the services meet state requirements regarding the 
service to be performed and expected quality; and
		(2)  the cost of the service does not exceed the cost of 
other similar services of similar expected quality that are not 
offered by a Texas bidder.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           



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