Honorable Byron Cook, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1527 by Simmons (Relating to the consideration of ownership interests of certain persons with disabilities in determining whether a business is a historically underutilized business for purposes of state contracting.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Chapter 2161 of the Government Code, regarding historically underutilized businesses.
The bill would add persons with a disability to the list of economically disadvantaged persons. The bill would require the Comptroller of Public Accounts (Comptroller) to adopt rules providing goals for increasing contract awards by the Comptroller and other state agencies, for the purchase of goods or services, to businesses that are owned or operated by one or more persons with a disability.
The bill specifies that in order to be certified by the Comptroller as a historically underutilized business, a business owned by one or more persons who qualify as economically disadvantaged solely based on disability status must submit to the Comptroller an affidavit from the physician of each owner claiming a disability verifying that owner's disability.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.