HB2629 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 12939 RJF 18282 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB2629

Introduced 2/19/2021, by Rep. William Davis

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

30 ILCS 575/2
30 ILCS 575/4	from Ch. 127, par. 132.604
30 ILCS 575/7	from Ch. 127, par. 132.607
30 ILCS 575/8	from Ch. 127, par. 132.608
30 ILCS 575/8f

Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Provides that not less than 40% of the total dollar amount of State contracts shall be established as an aspirational goal to be awarded to businesses owned by minorities. Provides that of the total amount of all State contracts awarded to businesses owned by minorities, contracts representing at least 20% shall be awarded to businesses owned by black or African American persons. Removes provisions allowing for a waiver from contract goals established under the Act. Requires the return of specified funds for failing to accomplish contract goals established under the Act. Makes conforming changes.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act is amended by changing Sections 2, 4, 7, 8, and 8f as follows:

(30 ILCS 575/2)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2024)

Sec. 2. Definitions.

(A) For the purpose of this Act, the following terms shall have the following definitions:

(1) "Minority person" shall mean a person who is a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States and who is any of the following:

(a) American Indian or Alaska Native (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America, including Central America, and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment).

(b) Asian (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, but not limited to, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam).

(c) Black or African American (a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa).

(d) Hispanic or Latino (a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race).

(e) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands).

(2) "Woman" shall mean a person who is a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States and who is of the female gender.

(2.05) "Person with a disability" means a person who is a citizen or lawful resident of the United States and is a person qualifying as a person with a disability under subdivision (2.1) of this subsection (A).

(2.1) "Person with a disability" means a person with a severe physical or mental disability that:

(a) results from:

amputation,

arthritis,

autism,

blindness,

burn injury,

cancer,

cerebral palsy,

Crohn's disease,

cystic fibrosis,

deafness,

head injury,

heart disease,

hemiplegia,

hemophilia,

respiratory or pulmonary dysfunction,

an intellectual disability,

mental illness,

multiple sclerosis,

muscular dystrophy,

musculoskeletal disorders,

neurological disorders, including stroke and epilepsy,

paraplegia,

quadriplegia and other spinal cord conditions,

sickle cell anemia,

ulcerative colitis,

specific learning disabilities, or

end stage renal failure disease; and

(b) substantially limits one or more of the person's major life activities.

Another disability or combination of disabilities may also be considered as a severe disability for the purposes of item (a) of this subdivision (2.1) if it is determined by an evaluation of rehabilitation potential to cause a comparable degree of substantial functional limitation similar to the specific list of disabilities listed in item (a) of this subdivision (2.1).

(3) "Minority-owned business" means a business which is at least 51% owned by one or more minority persons, or in the case of a corporation, at least 51% of the stock in which is owned by one or more minority persons; and the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more of the minority individuals who own it.

(4) "Women-owned business" means a business which is at least 51% owned by one or more women, or, in the case of a corporation, at least 51% of the stock in which is owned by one or more women; and the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more of the women who own it.

(4.1) "Business owned by a person with a disability" means a business that is at least 51% owned by one or more persons with a disability and the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more of the persons with disabilities who own it. A not-for-profit agency for persons with disabilities that is exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is also considered a "business owned by a person with a disability".

(4.2) "Council" means the Business Enterprise Council for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities created under Section 5 of this Act.

(5) "State contracts" means all contracts entered into by the State, any agency or department thereof, or any public institution of higher education, including community college districts, regardless of the source of the funds with which the contracts are paid, which are not subject to federal reimbursement. "State contracts" does not include contracts awarded by a retirement system, pension fund, or investment board subject to Section 1-109.1 of the Illinois Pension Code. This definition shall control over any existing definition under this Act or applicable administrative rule.

"State construction contracts" means all State contracts entered into by a State agency or public institution of higher education for the repair, remodeling, renovation or construction of a building or structure, or for the construction or maintenance of a highway defined in Article 2 of the Illinois Highway Code.

(6) "State agencies" shall mean all departments, officers, boards, commissions, institutions and bodies politic and corporate of the State, but does not include the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University, the Board of Trustees of Chicago State University, the Board of Trustees of Eastern Illinois University, the Board of Trustees of Governors State University, the Board of Trustees of Illinois State University, the Board of Trustees of Northeastern Illinois University, the Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois University, the Board of Trustees of Western Illinois University, municipalities or other local governmental units, or other State constitutional officers.

(7) "Public institutions of higher education" means the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, the public community colleges of the State, and any other public universities, colleges, and community colleges now or hereafter established or authorized by the General Assembly.

(8) "Certification" means a determination made by the Council or by one delegated authority from the Council to make certifications, or by a State agency with statutory authority to make such a certification, that a business entity is a business owned by a minority, woman, or person with a disability for whatever purpose. A business owned and controlled by women shall be certified as a "woman-owned business". A business owned and controlled by women who are also minorities shall be certified as both a "women-owned business" and a "minority-owned business".

(9) "Control" means the exclusive or ultimate and sole control of the business including, but not limited to, capital investment and all other financial matters, property, acquisitions, contract negotiations, legal matters, officer-director-employee selection and comprehensive hiring, operating responsibilities, cost-control matters, income and dividend matters, financial transactions and rights of other shareholders or joint partners. Control shall be real, substantial and continuing, not pro forma. Control shall include the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the business and to make the day-to-day as well as major decisions in matters of policy, management and operations. Control shall be exemplified by possessing the requisite knowledge and expertise to run the particular business and control shall not include simple majority or absentee ownership.

(10) "Business" means a business that has annual gross sales of less than $75,000,000 as evidenced by the federal income tax return of the business. A firm with gross sales in excess of this cap may apply to the Council for certification for a particular contract if the firm can demonstrate that the contract would have significant impact on businesses owned by minorities, women, or persons with disabilities as suppliers or subcontractors or in employment of minorities, women, or persons with disabilities.

(11) "Utilization plan" means a form and additional documentations included in all bids or proposals that demonstrates a vendor's proposed utilization of vendors certified by the Business Enterprise Program to meet the targeted goal. The utilization plan shall demonstrate that the Vendor has either: (1) met the entire contract goal or (2) requested a full or partial waiver and made good faith efforts towards meeting the goal.

(12) "Business Enterprise Program" means the Business Enterprise Program of the Department of Central Management Services.

(B) When a business is owned at least 51% by any combination of minority persons, women, or persons with disabilities, even though none of the 3 classes alone holds at least a 51% interest, the ownership requirement for purposes of this Act is considered to be met. The certification category for the business is that of the class holding the largest ownership interest in the business. If 2 or more classes have equal ownership interests, the certification category shall be determined by the business.

(Source: P.A. 100-391, eff. 8-25-17; 101-601, eff. 1-1-20.)

(30 ILCS 575/4) (from Ch. 127, par. 132.604)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2024)

Sec. 4. Award of State contracts.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), not less than 20% of the total dollar amount of State contracts, as defined by the Secretary of the Council and approved by the Council, shall be established as an aspirational goal to be awarded to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities; provided, however, that of the total amount of all State contracts awarded to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities pursuant to this Section, contracts representing at least 11% shall be awarded to businesses owned by minorities, contracts representing at least 10% 7% shall be awarded to women-owned businesses, and contracts representing at least 10% 2% shall be awarded to businesses owned by persons with disabilities.

Additionally, not less than 40% of the total dollar amount of State contracts shall be established as an aspirational goal to be awarded to businesses owned by minorities; provided, however, that of the total amount of all State contracts awarded to businesses owned by minorities, contracts representing at least 20% shall be awarded to businesses owned by black or African American persons.

The above percentage relates to the total dollar amount of State contracts during each State fiscal year, calculated by examining independently each type of contract for each agency or public institutions of higher education which lets such contracts. Only that percentage of arrangements which represents the participation of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities on such contracts shall be included. State contracts subject to the requirements of this Act shall include the requirement that only expenditures to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities that perform a commercially useful function may be counted toward the goals set forth by this Act. Contracts shall include a definition of "commercially useful function" that is consistent with 49 CFR 26.55(c).

(b) Not less than 20% of the total dollar amount of State construction contracts is established as an aspirational goal to be awarded to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities; provided that, contracts representing at least 11% of the total dollar amount of State construction contracts shall be awarded to businesses owned by minorities; contracts representing at least 7% of the total dollar amount of State construction contracts shall be awarded to women-owned businesses; and contracts representing at least 2% of the total dollar amount of State construction contracts shall be awarded to businesses owned by persons with disabilities.

(c) (Blank).

(d) Within one year after April 28, 2009 (the effective date of Public Act 96-8), the Department of Central Management Services shall conduct a social scientific study that measures the impact of discrimination on minority and women business development in Illinois. Within 18 months after April 28, 2009 (the effective date of Public Act 96-8), the Department shall issue a report of its findings and any recommendations on whether to adjust the goals for minority and women participation established in this Act. Copies of this report and the social scientific study shall be filed with the Governor and the General Assembly.

By December 1, 2020, the Department of Central Management Services shall conduct a new social scientific study that measures the impact of discrimination on minority and women business development in Illinois. By June 1, 2022, the Department shall issue a report of its findings and any recommendations on whether to adjust the goals for minority and women participation established in this Act. Copies of this report and the social scientific study shall be filed with the Governor, the Advisory Board, and the General Assembly. By December 1, 2022, the Department of Central Management Services Business Enterprise Program shall develop a model for social scientific disparity study sourcing for local governmental units to adapt and implement to address regional disparities in public procurement.

(e) Except as permitted under this Act or as otherwise mandated by federal law or regulation, those who submit bids or proposals for State contracts subject to the provisions of this Act, whose bids or proposals are successful and include a utilization plan but that fail to meet the goals set forth in subsection (b) of this Section, shall be notified of that deficiency and shall be afforded a period not to exceed 10 calendar days from the date of notification to cure that deficiency in the bid or proposal. The deficiency in the bid or proposal may only be cured by contracting with additional subcontractors who are owned by minorities or women. Any increase in cost to a contract for the addition of a subcontractor to cure a bid's deficiency shall not affect the bid price, shall not be used in the request for an exemption in this Act, and in no case shall an identified subcontractor with a certification made pursuant to this Act be terminated from the contract without the written consent of the State agency or public institution of higher education entering into the contract.

(f) Non-construction solicitations that include Business Enterprise Program participation goals shall require bidders and offerors to include utilization plans. Utilization plans are due at the time of bid or offer submission. Failure to complete and include a utilization plan, including documentation demonstrating good faith effort when requesting a waiver, shall render the bid or offer non-responsive.

(Source: P.A. 100-391, eff. 8-25-17; 101-170, eff. 1-1-20; 101-601, eff. 1-1-20; revised 10-26-20.)

(30 ILCS 575/7) (from Ch. 127, par. 132.607)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2024)

Sec. 7. Exemptions; waivers; publication of data.

(1) Individual contract exemptions. The Council, at the written request of the affected agency, public institution of higher education, or recipient of a grant or loan of State funds of $250,000 or more complying with Section 45 of the State Finance Act, may permit an individual contract or contract package, (related contracts being bid or awarded simultaneously for the same project or improvements) be made wholly or partially exempt from State contracting goals for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities prior to the advertisement for bids or solicitation of proposals whenever there has been a determination, reduced to writing and based on the best information available at the time of the determination, that there is an insufficient number of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities to ensure adequate competition and an expectation of reasonable prices on bids or proposals solicited for the individual contract or contract package in question. Any such exemptions shall be given by the Council to the Bureau on Apprenticeship Programs.

(a) Written request for contract exemption. A written request for an individual contract exemption must include, but is not limited to, the following:

(i) a list of eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities;

(ii) a clear demonstration that the number of eligible businesses identified in subparagraph (i) above is insufficient to ensure adequate competition;

(iii) the difference in cost between the contract proposals being offered by businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities and the agency or public institution of higher education's expectations of reasonable prices on bids or proposals within that class; and

(iv) a list of eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities that the contractor has used in the current and prior fiscal years.

(b) Determination. The Council's determination concerning an individual contract exemption must consider, at a minimum, the following:

(i) the justification for the requested exemption, including whether diligent efforts were undertaken to identify and solicit eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities;

(ii) the total number of exemptions granted to the affected agency, public institution of higher education, or recipient of a grant or loan of State funds of $250,000 or more complying with Section 45 of the State Finance Act that have been granted by the Council in the current and prior fiscal years; and

(iii) the percentage of contracts awarded by the agency or public institution of higher education to eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities in the current and prior fiscal years.

(2) Class exemptions.

(a) Creation. The Council, at the written request of the affected agency or public institution of higher education, may permit an entire class of contracts be made exempt from State contracting goals for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities whenever there has been a determination, reduced to writing and based on the best information available at the time of the determination, that there is an insufficient number of qualified businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities to ensure adequate competition and an expectation of reasonable prices on bids or proposals within that class. Any such exemption shall be given by the Council to the Bureau on Apprenticeship Programs.

(a-1) Written request for class exemption. A written request for a class exemption must include, but is not limited to, the following:

(i) a list of eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities;

(ii) a clear demonstration that the number of eligible businesses identified in subparagraph (i) above is insufficient to ensure adequate competition;

(iii) the difference in cost between the contract proposals being offered by eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities and the agency or public institution of higher education's expectations of reasonable prices on bids or proposals within that class; and

(iv) the number of class exemptions the affected agency or public institution of higher education requested in the current and prior fiscal years.

(a-2) Determination. The Council's determination concerning class exemptions must consider, at a minimum, the following:

(i) the justification for the requested exemption, including whether diligent efforts were undertaken to identify and solicit eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities;

(ii) the total number of class exemptions granted to the requesting agency or public institution of higher education that have been granted by the Council in the current and prior fiscal years; and

(iii) the percentage of contracts awarded by the agency or public institution of higher education to eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities the current and prior fiscal years.

(b) Limitation. Any such class exemption shall not be permitted for a period of more than one year at a time.

(3) (Blank). Waivers. Where a particular contract requires a contractor to meet a goal established pursuant to this Act, the contractor shall have the right to request a waiver from such requirements. The Council shall grant the waiver where the contractor demonstrates that there has been made a good faith effort to comply with the goals for participation by businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. Any such waiver shall also be transmitted in writing to the Bureau on Apprenticeship Programs.

(a) Request for waiver. A contractor's request for a waiver under this subsection (3) must include, but is not limited to, the following, if available:

(i) a list of eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities that pertain to the class of contracts in the requested waiver;

(ii) a clear demonstration that the number of eligible businesses identified in subparagraph (i) above is insufficient to ensure competition;

(iii) the difference in cost between the contract proposals being offered by businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities and the agency or the public institution of higher education's expectations of reasonable prices on bids or proposals within that class; and

(iv) a list of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities that the contractor has used in the current and prior fiscal years.

(b) Determination. The Council's determination concerning waivers must include following:

(i) the justification for the requested waiver, including whether the requesting contractor made a good faith effort to identify and solicit eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities;

(ii) the total number of waivers the contractor has been granted by the Council in the current and prior fiscal years;

(iii) the percentage of contracts awarded by the agency or public institution of higher education to eligible businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities in the current and prior fiscal years; and

(iv) the contractor's use of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities in the current and prior fiscal years.

(3.5) (Blank).

(4) Conflict with other laws. In the event that any State contract, which otherwise would be subject to the provisions of this Act, is or becomes subject to federal laws or regulations which conflict with the provisions of this Act or actions of the State taken pursuant hereto, the provisions of the federal laws or regulations shall apply and the contract shall be interpreted and enforced accordingly.

(5) Each chief procurement officer, as defined in the Illinois Procurement Code, shall maintain on his or her official Internet website a database of the following: (i) waivers granted under this Section with respect to contracts under his or her jurisdiction; (ii) a State agency or public institution of higher education's written request for an exemption of an individual contract or an entire class of contracts; and (iii) the Council's written determination granting or denying a request for an exemption of an individual contract or an entire class of contracts. The database, which shall be updated periodically as necessary, shall be searchable by contractor name and by contracting State agency.

(6) Each chief procurement officer, as defined by the Illinois Procurement Code, shall maintain on its website a list of all firms that have been prohibited from bidding, offering, or entering into a contract with the State of Illinois as a result of violations of this Act.

Each public notice required by law of the award of a State contract shall include for each bid or offer submitted for that contract the following: (i) the bidder's or offeror's name, (ii) the bid amount, (iii) the name or names of the certified firms identified in the bidder's or offeror's submitted utilization plan, and (iv) the bid's amount and percentage of the contract awarded to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities identified in the utilization plan.

(Source: P.A. 100-391, eff. 8-25-17; 101-170, eff. 1-1-20; 101-601, eff. 1-1-20.)

(30 ILCS 575/8) (from Ch. 127, par. 132.608)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2024)

Sec. 8. Enforcement.

(1) The Council shall make such findings, recommendations and proposals to the Governor as are necessary and appropriate to enforce this Act. If, as a result of its monitoring activities, the Council determines that its goals and policies are not being met by any State agency or public institution of higher education, the Council may recommend any or all of the following actions:

(a) Establish enforcement procedures whereby the Council may recommend to the appropriate State agency, public institutions of higher education, or law enforcement officer that legal or administrative remedies be initiated for violations of contract provisions or rules issued hereunder or by a contracting State agency or public institutions of higher education. State agencies and public institutions of higher education shall be authorized to adopt remedies for such violations which shall include (1) termination of the contract involved, (2) prohibition of participation of the respondents in public contracts for a period not to exceed one year, (3) imposition of a penalty not to exceed any profit acquired as a result of violation, or (4) any combination thereof.

(b) If the Council concludes that a compliance plan submitted under Section 6 is unlikely to produce the participation goals for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities within the then current fiscal year, the Council may recommend that the State agency or public institution of higher education revise its plan to provide additional opportunities for participation by businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. Such recommended revisions may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

(i) assurances of stronger and better focused solicitation efforts to obtain more businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities as potential sources of supply;

(ii) division of job or project requirements, when economically feasible, into tasks or quantities to permit participation of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities;

(iii) elimination of extended experience or capitalization requirements, when programmatically feasible, to permit participation of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities;

(iv) identification of specific proposed contracts as particularly attractive or appropriate for participation by businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, such identification to result from and be coupled with the efforts of subparagraphs (i) through (iii);

(v) implementation of those regulations established for the use of the sheltered market process.

(2) State agencies and public institutions of higher education shall review a vendor's compliance with its utilization plan and the terms of its contract. Without limitation, a vendor's failure to comply with its contractual commitments as contained in the utilization plan; failure to cooperate in providing information regarding its compliance with its utilization plan; or the provision of false or misleading information or statements concerning compliance, certification status, or eligibility of the Business Enterprise Program-certified vendor, good faith efforts, or any other material fact or representation shall constitute a material breach of the contract and entitle the State agency or public institution of higher education to declare a default, terminate the contract, or exercise those remedies provided for in the contract, at law, or in equity.

(3) A vendor shall be in breach of the contract and may be subject to penalties for failure to meet contract goals established under this Act. Any vendor failing to meet the contract goals established under this Act shall return all funds which were allocated for, but not awarded to, black or African owned businesses. The vendor shall have 60 days after completion of any project to return such funds , unless the vendor can show that it made good faith efforts to meet the contract goals.

(Source: P.A. 99-462, eff. 8-25-15; 100-391, eff. 8-25-17.)

(30 ILCS 575/8f)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2024)

Sec. 8f. Annual report. The Council shall file no later than March 1 of each year, an annual report that shall detail the level of achievement toward the goals specified in this Act over the 3 most recent fiscal years. The annual report shall include, but need not be limited to the following:

(1) a summary detailing expenditures subject to the goals, the actual goals specified, and the goals attained by each State agency and public institution of higher education;

(2) a summary of the number of contracts awarded and the average contract amount by each State agency and public institution of higher education;

(3) an analysis of the level of overall goal achievement concerning purchases from minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, and businesses owned by persons with disabilities;

(4) an analysis of the number of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities that are certified under the program as well as the number of those businesses that received State procurement contracts; and

(5) a summary of the number of contracts awarded to businesses with annual gross sales of less than $1,000,000; of $1,000,000 or more, but less than $5,000,000; of $5,000,000 or more, but less than $10,000,000; and of $10,000,000 or more; .

(6) the total procurement budget of the State and the percentage of the State budget spent on procurement; and

(7) the amount of revenue procured by black or African American owned businesses through State contracts.

(Source: P.A. 99-462, eff. 8-25-15; 100-391, eff. 8-25-17.)