By: Van de Putte, Zaffirini S.B. No. 1958
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to including certain veterans service organizations as
small businesses for the purpose of state contracting.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 2155.505, Government
Code, is amended by amending Subdivision (2) and adding Subdivision
(3) to read as follows:
(2) "Small business" means a small business concern as
defined by regulations of the United States Small Business
Administration in 13 C.F.R. Section 121.201 or a veterans service
agency.
(3) "Veterans service agency" means a community-based
organization that:
(A) is exempt from taxation under Section 501(a),
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described in
Section 501(c)(3) of that code;
(B) has as its principal purpose to provide
housing, substance abuse treatment, case management services, and
employment training to low-income veterans, disabled veterans, and
homeless veterans and their families; and
(C) employs veterans to provide at least 75
percent of the hours of direct labor by individuals required to
produce goods or provide services required under a contract entered
into under this section.
SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 2155.505, Government
Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a contract for the
procurement of goods and services for which the solicitation of
bids or proposals, request for proposals, or similar required
notification as to the goods or services is published on or after
September 1, 2009. A contract for the procurement of goods and
services for which the solicitation of bids or proposals, request
for proposals, or similar required notification as to the goods or
services is published before September 1, 2009, is governed by the
law in effect at the time the solicitation, request, or
notification is published, and that law is continued in effect for
that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.