BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 794
85R9025 CLG-D	By: Miles
	Natural Resources & Economic Development
	3/9/2017
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program was created to promote full and equal procurement opportunities for small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses. Companies interested in doing business with the state are encouraged to become HUB certified.

This is accomplished by completing an application and submitting it to the Texas comptroller of public accounts (comptroller). Once approved, a company is considered "certified" and agencies using them on contracts receive credit toward meeting established HUB goals. The HUB Program is a state-level program required by law and managed by the comptroller.

Under Section 481.079, Government Code, the governor shall submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each other member of the legislature a report on grants from the Texas Enterprise Fund before the beginning of each regular session of the legislature.

This bill amends Section 481.079, Government Code, in order to add grant recipients that are historically underutilized businesses or HUBs to the governor's report. The bill also adds that the total amount of grants made to those recipients be included in that report.

As proposed, S.B. 794 amends current law relating to the biennial report to the legislature on grants made to entities under the Texas Enterprise Fund.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 481.079, Government Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-2), as follows:

(a) Includes the total number of grant recipients that are historically underutilized businesses and the total amount of grants made to those recipients in the list of required content of the report on grants made under Section 481.078 (Texas Enterprise Fund) that the governor is required to submit under this subsection. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

(a-2) Defines "historically underutilized business" and "economically disadvantaged person."

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2017.