HR190: HR190 House Study Committee on Minority Business Enterprises, Women Owned Businesses, and Veteran Owned Businesses in State Contracting; create

25 LC 55 0456 House Resolution 190 By: Representatives Miller of the 62nd, Willis of the 55th, Crawford of the 89th, Wilkerson of the 38th, Cannon of the 58th, and others A RESOLUTION Creating the House Study Committee on Minority Business Enterpr ises, Women Owned1 Businesses, and Veteran Owned Businesses in State Contracting; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, as the purchasing agent for the State of Georgia, the Department of3 Administrative Services is responsible for the procurement of roughly $4.5 billion of goods4 and services each year for state agencies, the University Syste m of Georgia, and the5 Technical College System of Georgia; and6 WHEREAS, the State Purchasing Division negotiates contracts to ensure customers receive7 the best value for the dollars they spend, while providing supp liers with a fair opportunity8 to compete for business with state entities; and9 WHEREAS, minority business enterprises, women owned businesses, and veteran owned10 businesses, particularly those that are under resourced and ope rate at lower capacities, are11 important to the growth and success of Georgia's economy; and12 WHEREAS, there is a need to determine how best to increase outreach and improve access13 to contracting opportunities for minority business enterprises, women owned businesses, and14 H. R. 190 - 1 - 25 LC 55 0456 veteran owned businesses, especially those that are most in need of increased resources and15 capacity levels; and16 WHEREAS, the development of strategies to attract more bidders, and to ensure that such17 bidders are able to identify bid opportunities, possess the rea diness to bid, and are taking18 advantage of any available state and federal grants and other f unding to maximize their19 viability, may serve to increase the likelihood of participation in state contracts by minority20 business enterprises, women owned businesses, and veteran owned businesses that are most21 in need of such opportunities; and22 WHEREAS, knowing the current level of participation of minority business enterprises,23 women owned businesses, and veteran owned businesses in state c ontracts and how this24 compares to the number of qualified minority business enterpris es, women owned25 businesses, and veteran owned businesses ready, willing, and ab le to provide goods and26 services under state contracts is necessary in order to determi ne what steps and strategies27 would be most effective in increasing outreach to and improving access for such enterprises28 and businesses that are most in need.29 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:30 (1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee31 on Minority Business Enterprises, Women Owned Businesses, and V eteran Owned32 Businesses in State Contracting.33 (2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of five members of the34 House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of35 Representatives. The Speaker shall also appoint an additional three nonlegislative36 members of the committee, one of whom shall be the owner of a m inority business37 enterprise, one of whom shall be the owner of a women owned bus iness, and one of38 H. R. 190 - 2 - 25 LC 55 0456 whom shall be the owner of a veteran owned business. The Speak er shall designate a39 legislative member of the committee as chairperson of the committee.40 (3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,41 issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto, including, but not limited to, a42 determination of where data sets may be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender,43 disability, veteran status, or other key demographic variables, and recommend any action44 or legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.45 (4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee46 may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or47 convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and48 accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.49 (5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.50 (A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided51 for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.52 (B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,53 or who are state employees shall receive no compensation for th eir services on the54 committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the55 performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they56 are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.57 (C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state of ficials, or state58 employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that59 specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Offi cial Code of Georgia60 Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance a uthorized for state61 employees.62 (D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member63 of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds64 necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds65 H. R. 190 - 3 - 25 LC 55 0456 appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement66 of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative memb ers, and for the67 reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated68 to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.69 (6) Report.70 (A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that71 include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the72 same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolut ion, subject to73 subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.74 (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not i nclude suggestions for75 proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)76 of this paragraph.77 (C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of78 abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.79 A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with80 the Clerk of the House of Representatives.81 (D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the82 House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu83 thereof.84 (7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.85 H. R. 190 - 4 -