Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S179 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2072 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 179
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Adam Gomez
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act prioritizing underserved businesses.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Adam GomezHampden 1 of 3
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2072 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 179
18	18	By Mr. Gomez, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 179) of Adam Gomez for legislation
19	19	to prioritize underserved businesses that have historically faced obstacles to accessing capital in
20	20	the awarding of all grants, loans, and other assistance. Community Development and Small
21	21	Businesses.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act prioritizing underserved businesses.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Section 16G of chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
31	31	2Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-
32	32	3 (o) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, unless otherwise
33	33	4specified, and whenever possible, the secretary of economic development and all divisions
34	34	5within the executive office of economic development shall prioritize socially or economically
35	35	6disadvantaged businesses, which may include, but shall not be limited to, minority-owned,
36	36	7women-owned, veteran-owned, worker-owned, or immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small
37	37	8businesses that have historically faced obstacles to accessing capital in the awarding of all grants,
38	38	9loans, and other assistance.
39	39	10 SECTION 2. Section 3 of chapter 23G of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
40	40	11amended by adding the following subsection:- 2 of 3
41	41	12 (36) to prioritize socially or economically disadvantaged businesses, which may include,
42	42	13but shall not be limited to, minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, worker-owned, or
43	43	14immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small businesses that have historically faced obstacles to
44	44	15accessing capital in the awarding of all grants, loans, and other assistance
45	45	16 SECTION 3. Chapter 23G of the General Laws, as so appearing is hereby amended by
46	46	17adding the following section:-
47	47	18 Section 50: Prioritizing Underserved Microbusinesses and Small Businesses
48	48	19 Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, unless otherwise specified,
49	49	20and whenever possible, the agency shall prioritize socially or economically disadvantaged
50	50	21businesses, which may include, but shall not be limited to, minority-owned, women-owned,
51	51	22veteran-owned, worker-owned, or immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small businesses that
52	52	23have historically faced obstacles to accessing capital in the awarding of all grants, loans, and
53	53	24other assistance.
54	54	25 SECTION 4. Subsection (b) of section 48 of chapter 23G of the General Laws, as
55	55	26appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “prioritize
56	56	27participation in projects” the following:-
57	57	28 with socially or economically disadvantaged businesses, which may include, but shall not
58	58	29be limited to, minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, worker-owned or immigrant-
59	59	30owned microbusinesses and small businesses that have historically faced obstacles to accessing
60	60	31capital and 3 of 3
61	61	32 SECTION 5. Subsection (c) of section 48 of chapter 23G of the General Laws, as
62	62	33inserted by section 58 of chapter 238 of the acts of 2024, is hereby amended by striking out the
63	63	34word “may” and inserting in place thereof the following:-
64	64	35 shall prioritize and
65	65	36 SECTION 6. Subsection (c) of section 48 of chapter 23G of the General Laws, as
66	66	37inserted by section 58 of chapter 238 of the acts of 2024, is hereby further amended by striking
67	67	38out the the words “or women-owned contractors” and inserting place thereof the following:-
68	68	39 women-owned contractors, worker-owned contractors and disadvantaged business
69	69	40enterprises
70	70	41 SECTION 7. Chapter 23A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
71	71	42Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
72	72	43 Section 70: Prioritizing Underserved Microbusinesses and Small Businesses
73	73	44 Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, unless otherwise specified,
74	74	45and whenever possible, the Massachusetts office of business development shall prioritize socially
75	75	46or economically disadvantaged businesses, which may include, but shall not be limited to,
76	76	47minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned or immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small
77	77	48businesses, that have historically faced obstacles to accessing capital in the awarding of all
78	78	49grants, loans, and other assistance.