EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1432*
HOUSE BILL 1432
C8, P2 5lr2523
By: Delegate Wilson
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Appropriations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Minority Business Enterprises – Coordination of Resources 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women 3
Business Affairs to coordinate with the Department of Commerce and the Office of 4
the Comptroller to promote certain benefits and incentives; requiring the Governor’s 5
Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs to include a certain analysis 6
in a certain annual report for a certain number of years; and generally relating to 7
the coordination of resources to support minority business enterprises. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – State Government 10
Section 9–305 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
Article – State Government 15
Section 9–306 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – State Government 21
9–305. 22
(a) This section applies to the following minority business enterprises: 23
2 HOUSE BILL 1432
(1) a publicly owned business if 1 or more minority persons own at least 1
51% of the stock of the business; or 2
(2) any other business if 1 or more minority persons own at least 50% of 3
the business. 4
(b) Subject to the limitations of any law that governs the activities of other units 5
of the Executive Branch of the State government, the Special Secretary shall: 6
(1) carry out each State or federal program that is created to promote the 7
growth of or participation in minority business enterprises; 8
(2) promote and coordinate training regarding the requirements of the 9
Minority Business Enterprise Program; 10
(3) promote, coordinate, and participate in the plans, programs, and 11
operations of the State government that promote or otherwise affect the establishment, 12
preservation, and strengthening of minority business enterprises; 13
(4) promote activities and the use of the resources of the State government, 14
local governments, and private entities for the growth of minority business enterprises, 15
INCLUDING: 16
(I) COORDINATING WITH TH E DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO 17
PROMOTE EXISTING BEN EFITS AND INCENTIVES , INCLUDING TAX INCENT IVES, 18
GRANTS, AND TECHNICAL ASSIST ANCE, FOR MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 19
OPERATING IN ENTERPR ISE ZONES AND TO ENCOURAGE MIN ORITY BUSINESS 20
ENTERPRISE PARTICIPA TION IN ENTERPRISE Z ONES; AND 21
(II) COORDINATING WITH TH E OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER 22
TO PROMOTE EXISTING BENEFITS AND INCENTI VES, INCLUDING TAX INCENTIVES , 23
TO SUPPORT THE GROWT H OF MINORITY BUSINE SS ENTERPRISES ; 24
(5) coordinate the effort of private entities and public agencies to develop 25
minority business enterprises; 26
(6) establish a system to develop, collect, summarize, and give out 27
information that would help a person to: 28
(i) establish a minority business enterprise; 29
(ii) operate a minority business enterprise successfully; or 30
(iii) promote the establishment and successful operation of minority 31
business enterprises; 32
HOUSE BILL 1432 3
(7) establish a mentoring program: 1
(i) in which larger and more established minority businesses can 2
mentor start–up and small minority businesses; and 3
(ii) that incentivizes mentor participation by providing benefits to 4
mentors, including: 5
1. special recognition on the Office website, and in the Office 6
newsletter and participation updates; 7
2. a certificate of participation awarded by the Office; 8
3. the opportunity to present highlights of mentor and 9
protege relationships at an annual appreciation event sponsored by the Office; and 10
4. increased networking and educational opportunities; 11
(8) conduct a feasibility study for creating a technical assistance program 12
in the Office that provides one–on–one assistance to minority businesses in submitting 13
competitive and successful bids and proposals for procurement contracts; 14
(9) provide training and educational opportunities for nonminority prime 15
contractors regarding the duties and responsibilities of a prime contractor with respect to 16
minority businesses; and 17
(10) subject to the limitations of law and the availability of funds: 18
(i) provide technical and managerial assistance to minority 19
business enterprises; 20
(ii) provide the managerial and organizational framework for 21
private entities and units of the State government to plan and carry out joint undertakings 22
that relate to minority business enterprises; 23
(iii) pay, wholly or partly, the costs of a pilot or demonstration project 24
that is intended to overcome the special problems of minority business enterprises; and 25
(iv) establish an annual awards program to recognize localities that 26
demonstrate the highest excellence in minority business enterprise support. 27
9–306. 28
(a) On or before the 15th day of each regular session of the General Assembly, the 29
Special Secretary shall send an annual report on the Office of Small, Minority, and Women 30
Business Affairs: 31
4 HOUSE BILL 1432
(1) to the Governor; and 1
(2) subject to § 2–1257 of this article, to the General Assembly. 2
(b) The annual report may be prepared in conjunction with the report required 3
under § 14–305(b) of the State Finance and Procurement Article. 4
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Governor’s Office of 5
Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs, in consultation with the Department of 6
Commerce and the Office of the Comptroller, shall include in the annual report submitted 7
under § 9–306 of the State Government Article in 2026, 2027, and 2028 an analysis of the 8
coordination efforts required under § 9–305(b)(4) of the State Government Article, as 9
enacted by Section 1 of this Act, including the impact of these efforts on minority business 10
enterprises in the State, and any recommended statutory changes to improve coordination 11
efforts. 12
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 13
1, 2025. 14