By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1958

(In the Senate - Filed March 12, 2009; March 24, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on Government Organization; April 7, 2009, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 7, 2009, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to including certain veterans service organizations as small businesses for the purpose of state contracting.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 2155.505, Government Code, is amended by amending Subdivision (2) and adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:

(2) "Small business" means a small business concern as defined by regulations of the United States Small Business Administration in 13 C.F.R. Section 121.201 or a veterans service agency.

(3) "Veterans service agency" means a community-based organization that:

(A) is exempt from taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of that code; and

(B) has as its principal purpose to provide housing, substance abuse treatment, case management services, and employment training to low-income veterans, disabled veterans, and homeless veterans and their families.

SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 2155.505, Government Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a contract for the procurement of goods and services for which the solicitation of bids or proposals, request for proposals, or similar required notification as to the goods or services is published on or after September 1, 2009. A contract for the procurement of goods and services for which the solicitation of bids or proposals, request for proposals, or similar required notification as to the goods or services is published before September 1, 2009, is governed by the law in effect at the time the solicitation, request, or notification is published, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.

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