By: Davis H.B. No. 5273 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the certification of a historically underutilized business. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 2161.252, Government Code, is amended as follows: Sec. 2161.252. AGENCY DETERMINATION REGARDING SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES; BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN. (a) Each state agency that considers entering into a contract with an expected value of $100,000 or more shall, before the agency solicits bids, proposals, offers, or other applicable expressions of interest for the contract, determine whether there will be subcontracting opportunities under the contract. If the state agency determines that there is that probability, the agency shall require that each bid, proposal, offer, or other applicable expression of interest for the contract include a historically underutilized business subcontracting plan. (b) The goal of each state agency historically underutilized business subcontracting plan must reflect at least the percentage of the ethnic population of the state. (c) [(b)] When a state agency requires a historically underutilized business subcontracting plan under Subsection (a), a bid, proposal, offer, or other applicable expression of interest for the contract must contain a plan to be considered responsive. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.