BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1566

By: Meza

State Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that preference in state contracting should be afforded to a wider range of Asian American people. C.S.H.B. 1566 seeks to achieve this aim by providing for the inclusion of Subcontinent Asian Americans among those classified as economically disadvantaged for purposes of state contracting with historically underutilized businesses.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1566 amends the Government Code to include a person who identifies as a Subcontinent Asian American among the persons who, having suffered the effects of discriminatory practices or other similar insidious circumstances over which the person has no control, are classified as economically disadvantaged for purposes of state contracting with historically underutilized businesses.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1566 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute revises the means by which the expansion of Asian Americans that are included as economically disadvantaged persons in relation to state contracting with historically underutilized businesses is accomplished by including "Subcontinent Asian Americans” in the applicable definition.