| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the historically underutilized business task force. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 2161, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 2161.067 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 2161.067. HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS TASK |
|
|
FORCE. (a) In this section, "task force" means the historically |
|
|
underutilized business task force established under this section. |
|
|
(b) The historically underutilized business task force is |
|
|
established to: |
|
|
(1) review each state agency's outreach efforts, |
|
|
policies, and bidding processes; |
|
|
(2) evaluate the amount of access to contracting |
|
|
opportunities available to historically underutilized businesses |
|
|
compared to other businesses; |
|
|
(3) share effective practices among different state |
|
|
agencies; |
|
|
(4) recommend to the legislature and state agencies |
|
|
strategies to: |
|
|
(A) promote full and good faith compliance with |
|
|
this chapter in state contracting; |
|
|
(B) increase participation of historically |
|
|
underutilized businesses in state contracting; and |
|
|
(C) address other topics related to historically |
|
|
underutilized businesses; and |
|
|
(5) perform other duties as assigned by the |
|
|
comptroller and presiding officer. |
|
|
(c) The task force shall consist of: |
|
|
(1) one historically underutilized business |
|
|
coordinator from each state agency with a biennial budget that |
|
|
exceeds $10 million, as described in Section 2161.062(e); |
|
|
(2) one member appointed by the governor; |
|
|
(3) one member appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(4) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of |
|
|
representatives. |
|
|
(d) Members of the task force that are appointed by the |
|
|
governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house serve |
|
|
staggered terms of two years, with one or two members' terms |
|
|
expiring December 1 of each year. |
|
|
(e) The member appointed by the governor shall serve as the |
|
|
initial presiding officer of the task force for a two-year term. |
|
|
The task force shall elect succeeding presiding officers from among |
|
|
its membership at the first meeting following the expiration of the |
|
|
presiding officer's term. |
|
|
(f) The task force shall meet quarterly at the call of the |
|
|
presiding officer. |
|
|
(g) Not later than December 1 of each year, the task force |
|
|
shall prepare and submit to the governor, the legislature, and each |
|
|
state agency a written report summarizing the task force's findings |
|
|
and recommendations, including legislative recommendations. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2021, the governor, |
|
|
lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives |
|
|
shall each appoint one member to the historically underutilized |
|
|
business task force as required under Section 2161.067, Government |
|
|
Code, as added by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2021, the presiding |
|
|
officer of the historically underutilized business task force |
|
|
created under Section 2161.067, Government Code, as added by this |
|
|
Act, shall call the first meeting of the task force. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |