Amend CSHB 3560 by adding the following appropriately
numbered SECTION to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of
the bill as appropriate:
SECTION __. Subsections (a), (c), and (e), Section 2155.444,
Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The commission and all state agencies making purchases
of goods, including agricultural products, shall give preference to
those produced or grown in this state or offered by Texas bidders as
follows:
(1) goods produced or offered by a Texas bidder that is
owned by a service-disabled veteran who is a Texas resident shall be
given a first preference and goods produced in this state or
offered by other Texas bidders shall [equally] be given second
preference, if the cost to the state and quality are equal; and
(2) agricultural products grown in this state shall be
given first preference and agricultural products offered by Texas
bidders shall be given second preference, if the cost to the state
and quality are equal.
(c) In this section:
(1) "Agricultural products" includes textiles and
other similar products.
(1-a) "Service-disabled veteran" means a person who is
a veteran as defined by 38 U.S.C. Section 101(2) and who has a
service-connected disability as defined by 38 U.S.C. Section
101(16).
(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 first preference to services offered by a Texas
bidder that is owned by a service-disabled veteran who is a Texas
resident and shall give second preference to services offered by
other Texas bidders 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 that is not entitled to a preference
under this subsection.