S.B. No. 327 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, 2011. 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, 2011, 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, 2011. ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I hereby certify that S.B. No. 327 passed the Senate on April 7, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.B. No. 327 passed the House on May 25, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, two present not voting. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Approved: ______________________________ Date ______________________________ Governor