Amend HB 1818 (house committee printing) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____. Subchapter Y, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 2306.5553 to read as follows:

Sec. 2306.5553. HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES. (a) The corporation shall make a good faith effort to provide contracting opportunities for, and to increase contract awards to, historically underutilized businesses for all services that may be required by the corporation, including professional and consulting services and commodities purchases.

(b) In accordance with Subchapter B, Chapter 20, Title 34, Texas Administrative Code, a good faith effort under Subsection (a) must include awarding historically underutilized businesses at least a portion of the total contract value of all contracts the corporation expects to award in a state fiscal year.

(c) The corporation may achieve annual procurement goals under this section by contracting directly with historically underutilized businesses or by contracting indirectly with those businesses through the provision of subcontracting opportunities.