HLS 25RS-910 ENGROSSED 2025 Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO. 524 BY REPRESENTATIVE SPELL Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana. PUBLIC CONTRACTS: Provides relative to fire departments and public safety departments or agencies entering into an agreement with group purchasing organizations 1 AN ACT 2To amend and reenact R.S. 38:2212.1(N)(3) and (P)(3), relative to qualified group 3 purchasing organizations; to provide relative to fire and public safety departments 4 agreements with group purchasing organizations; to expand the definition of 5 "qualified group purchasing organization"; and to provide for related matters. 6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 7 Section 1. R.S. 38:2212.1(N)(3) and (P)(3) are hereby amended and reenacted to 8read as follows: 9 ยง2212.1. Advertisement and letting to lowest responsible bidder; materials and 10 supplies; exemptions 11 * * * 12 N. 13 * * * 14 (3) As used in this Subsection, "qualified group purchasing organization" 15 means an organization, whether for profit or not for profit not-for-profit, of which 16 two or more public school districts are members and which solicits proposals or bids 17 from vendors of materials, equipment, or supplies of the type and nature as may be 18 purchased by a public school district or public school. A "qualified group Page 1 of 2 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 25RS-910 ENGROSSED HB NO. 524 1 purchasing organization" includes an external procurement activity as defined in R.S. 2 39:1556. 3 * * * 4 P. 5 * * * 6 (3) As used in this Subsection, "qualified group purchasing organization" 7 means an organization, whether for profit or not-for-profit, of which two or more of 8 the public departments, agencies, or nonprofit corporations described in Paragraph 9 (1) of this Subsection, hereinafter referred to as "fire, ambulance service, public 10 safety, or police authority", are participating or voting members thereof and which 11 solicit proposals or bids from vendors of materials, equipment, or supplies of the 12 type and nature as may be purchased by any such department, agency, or nonprofit 13 corporation. A "qualified group purchasing organization" includes an external 14 procurement activity as defined in R.S. 39:1556. 15 * * * DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 524 Engrossed 2025 Regular Session Spell Abstract: Expands the definition of "qualified group purchasing organization". Present law provides for agreements by municipal and parish fire depts., volunteer fire depts., fire protection districts, municipal police depts., or related public safety depts. or agencies to be made with qualified group purchasing organizations for purchases. Requires the group purchasing organization to submit a price list and maintain those prices for at least three months and for those prices to be deemed a valid and binding bid. Further prohibits the price lists from being considered public records, but provides that the price list will be considered public record when it is made part of contract. Additionally, defines "qualified group purchasing organization". Proposed law retains present law and expands the definition of "qualified group purchasing organization" to include "external procurement activity" as defined in present law (R.S. 39:1556). (Amends R.S. 38:2212.1(N)(3) and (P)(3)) Page 2 of 2 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.