Bill Text: TX HB2649 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the women who are eligible for certification as owners of a historically underutilized business.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-17 - Referred to State Affairs [HB2649 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB2649-Introduced.html
  87R9531 MWC-D
 
  By: J. Johnson of Harris H.B. No. 2649
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the women who are eligible for certification as owners
  of a historically underutilized business.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 2161.001(3), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
               (3)  "Economically disadvantaged person" means a
  person who:
                     (A)  is economically disadvantaged because of the
  person's identification as a member of a certain group, including:
                           (i)  Black Americans;
                           (ii)  Hispanic Americans;
                           (iii)  minority women;
                           (iv)  Asian Pacific Americans;
                           (v)  Native Americans; and
                           (vi)  veterans as defined by 38 U.S.C.
  Section 101(2) who have suffered at least a 20 percent
  service-connected disability as defined by 38 U.S.C. Section
  101(16); and
                     (B)  has suffered the effects of discriminatory
  practices or other similar insidious circumstances over which the
  person has no control.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 2161.061(b), (d), and (e), Government
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (b)  As one of its certification procedures, the comptroller
  may:
               (1)  approve the certification program of one or more
  local governments or nonprofit organizations in this state that
  certify historically underutilized businesses, minority business
  enterprises, minority women's business enterprises, or
  disadvantaged business enterprises under substantially the same
  definition, to the extent applicable, used by Section 2161.001, if
  the local government or nonprofit organization meets or exceeds the
  standards established by the comptroller; and
               (2)  certify a business that is certified by a local
  government or by a nonprofit organization as a historically
  underutilized business under this chapter.
         (d)  A local government or a nonprofit organization that
  certifies historically underutilized businesses, minority business
  enterprises, minority women's business enterprises, or
  disadvantaged business enterprises as described in Subsections (b)
  and (c) shall complete the certification of an applicant or provide
  an applicant with written justification of its certification denial
  within the period established by the comptroller in its rules for
  certification activities.
         (e)  A local government or a nonprofit organization that
  certifies historically underutilized businesses under Subsection
  (c) or that conducts a certification program described by and
  approved under Subsection (b) shall make available to the public an
  online searchable database containing information about
  historically underutilized businesses, minority business
  enterprises, minority women's business enterprises, and
  disadvantaged business enterprises certified by the local
  government or nonprofit organization, including:
               (1)  the name of the business;
               (2)  the contact person or owner of the business;
               (3)  the address and telephone number of the business;
               (4)  the type or category of business, including
  relevant capabilities of the business and the North American
  Industry Classification System codes for the business; and
               (5)  the expiration date of the business's
  certification.
         SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to the certification of a business as a historically underutilized
  business under Chapter 2161, Government Code, occurring on or after
  the effective date of this Act. The certification of a business as a
  historically underutilized business occurring before the effective
  date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date of the
  certification, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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