By:  Wentworth                                                    S.B. No. 1229


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to competitive purchasing procedures for certain 
counties.         
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 262.0256, Local Government Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 262.0256.  PRE-BID CONFERENCE [FOR CERTAIN COUNTIES OR 
A DISTRICT GOVERNED BY THOSE COUNTIES].  [(a)  This section applies 
only to a county with a population of 2.8 million or more.
	[(b)]  The commissioners court of a [the] county or the 
governing body of a district or authority created under Section 59, 
Article XVI, Texas Constitution, if the governing body is the 
commissioners court of the county in which the district is located, 
may require a principal, officer, or employee of each prospective 
bidder to attend a mandatory pre-bid conference conducted for the 
purpose of discussing contract requirements and answering 
questions of prospective bidders.
	SECTION 2.  Section 271.0565, Local Government Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 271.0565.  PRE-BID CONFERENCE [FOR CERTAIN COUNTIES OR 
A DISTRICT GOVERNED BY THOSE COUNTIES].  [(a)  This section applies 
only to a county with a population of 2.8 million or more.
	[(b)]  The commissioners court of a [the] county or the 
governing body of a district or authority created under Section 59, 
Article XVI, Texas Constitution, if the governing body is the 
commissioners court of the county in which the district is located, 
may require a principal, officer, or employee of each prospective 
bidder to attend a mandatory pre-bid conference conducted for the 
purpose of discussing contract requirements and answering 
questions of prospective bidders.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.