HB4846eng 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4846 Engrossed LRB103 36525 MXP 66631 b

AN ACT concerning finance.

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, 5, and 8 and by adding Section 3.5 as follows:

(30 ILCS 575/2)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2029)

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.

(4.3) "Commission" means, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the Commission on Equity and Inclusion created under the Commission on Equity and Inclusion Act.

(4.4) "Certified vendor" means a minority-owned business, women-owned business, or business owned by a person with a disability that is certified by the Business Enterprise Program.

(4.5) "Subcontractor" means a person or entity that enters into a contractual agreement with a prime vendor to provide, on behalf of the prime vendor, goods, services, real property, or remuneration or other monetary consideration that is the subject of the primary State contract. "Subcontractor" includes a sublessee under a State contract.

(4.6) "Prime vendor" means any person or entity having a contract that is subject to this Act with a State agency or public institution of higher education.

(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 $150,000,000 as evidenced by the federal income tax return of the business. A certified vendor with gross sales in excess of this cap may apply to the Council for certification for a particular contract if the vendor 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. Firms with gross sales in excess of this cap that are granted certification by the Council shall be granted certification for the life of the contract, including available renewals.

(11) "Utilization plan" means an attachment that is made to all bids or proposals and that demonstrates the bidder's or offeror's efforts to meet the contract-specific Business Enterprise Program goal. The utilization plan shall indicate whether the prime vendor intends to meet the Business Enterprise Program goal through its own performance, if it is a certified vendor, or through the use of subcontractors that are certified vendors. The utilization plan shall demonstrate that the Vendor has either: (1) met the entire contract goal or (2) requested a full or partial waiver of the contract goal. If the prime vendor intends to use a subcontractor that is a certified vendor to fulfill the contract goal, a participation agreement executed between the prime vendor and the certified subcontractor must be included with the utilization plan.

(12) "Business Enterprise Program" means the Business Enterprise Program of the Commission on Equity and Inclusion.

(13) "Good faith effort" means actions undertaken by a vendor to achieve a contract specific Business Enterprise Program goal that, by scope, intensity, and appropriateness to the objective, can reasonably be expected to fulfill the program's requirements.

(14) "Goal" means the participation levels of certified vendors on State contracts.

(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. 102-29, eff. 6-25-21; 102-1119, eff. 1-23-23; 103-570, eff. 1-1-24.)

(30 ILCS 575/3.5 new)

Sec. 3.5. Uniform standard of contract goals.

(a) The Business Enterprise Program may establish uniform standards for calculating contract specific Business Enterprise Program goals for all State contracts and State construction contracts subject to this Act. In establishing those standards, the Business Enterprise Program may consider normal industry practice, the scope of the work to be performed under a contract, the availability of vendors that are able to perform the scope of the work to be performed under a contract, the availability of certified vendors that are able to perform the work to be performed under a contract, and the State's progress to date toward meeting the aspirational goals set forth in this Act.

(b) Each State agency that is subject to this Act and each public institution of higher education that is subject to this Act may, in accordance with the provisions of this Act, set goals concerning participation in State contracts, including State construction contracts, to which the State agency or public institution of higher education is party. Goals involving State contracts above the small purchase threshold, as defined in Section 20-20 of the Illinois Procurement Code, may be submitted to the Business Enterprise Program for approval, denial, or modification.

(c) As used in this Section, the terms "State contract" and "State construction contract" do not include grants from State agencies to grantees for capital improvements or operational expenses.

(30 ILCS 575/5) (from Ch. 127, par. 132.605)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2029)

Sec. 5. Business Enterprise Council.

(1) To help implement, monitor, and enforce the goals of this Act, there is created the Business Enterprise Council for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities, hereinafter referred to as the Council, composed of the Chairperson of the Commission on Equity and Inclusion, the Secretary of Human Services and the Directors of the Department of Human Rights, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Central Management Services, the Department of Transportation and the Capital Development Board, or their duly appointed representatives, with the Comptroller, or his or her designee, serving as an advisory member of the Council. Ten individuals representing businesses that are minority-owned, women-owned, or owned by persons with disabilities, 2 individuals representing the business community, and a representative of public institutions of higher education shall be appointed by the Governor. These members shall serve 2-year terms and shall be eligible for reappointment. Any vacancy occurring on the Council shall also be filled by the Governor. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his or her predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. Members of the Council shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for any ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

The Chairperson of the Commission shall serve as the Council chairperson and shall select, subject to approval of the Council, a Secretary responsible for the operation of the program who shall serve as the Division Manager of the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Division of the Commission on Equity and Inclusion.

The Director of each State agency and the chief executive officer of each public institution of higher education shall appoint a liaison to the Council. The liaison shall be responsible for submitting to the Council any reports and documents necessary under this Act.

(2) The Council's authority and responsibility shall be to:

(a) Devise a certification procedure to assure that businesses taking advantage of this Act are legitimately classified as businesses owned by minorities, women, or persons with disabilities and a registration procedure to recognize, without additional evidence of Business Enterprise Program eligibility, the certification of businesses owned by minorities, women, or persons with disabilities certified by the City of Chicago, Cook County, or other jurisdictional programs with requirements and procedures equaling or exceeding those in this Act.

(b) Maintain a list of all businesses legitimately classified as businesses owned by minorities, women, or persons with disabilities to provide to State agencies and public institutions of higher education.

(c) Review rules and regulations for the implementation of the program for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.

(d) Review compliance plans submitted by each State agency and public institution of higher education pursuant to this Act.

(e) Make annual reports as provided in Section 8f to the Governor and the General Assembly on the status of the program.

(f) Serve as a central clearinghouse for information on State contracts, including the maintenance of a list of all pending State contracts upon which businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities may bid. At the Council's discretion, maintenance of the list may include 24-hour electronic access to the list along with the bid and application information.

(g) Establish a toll-free telephone number to facilitate information requests concerning the certification process and pending contracts.

(h) Adopt a procedure to grant automatic certification to businesses holding a certification from at least one of the following entities: (i) the Illinois Unified Certification Program; (ii) the Women's Business Development Center in Chicago; (iii) the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council; or (iv) any other similar entity offering such certification to businesses.

(i) Develop and maintain a repository for non-certified vendors that: (i) have applied for certification and have been denied; (ii) have started, but not completed, the certification process; (iii) have achieved certification, but did not seek renewal; or (iv) are known businesses owned by minorities, women, or persons with disabilities.

(3) No premium bond rate of a surety company for a bond required of a business owned by a minority, woman, or person with a disability bidding for a State contract shall be higher than the lowest rate charged by that surety company for a similar bond in the same classification of work that would be written for a business not owned by a minority, woman, or person with a disability.

(4) Any Council member who has direct financial or personal interest in any measure pending before the Council shall disclose this fact to the Council and refrain from participating in the determination upon such measure.

(5) The Secretary shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

(a) To be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Council.

(b) To serve as a coordinator for all of the State's programs for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities and as the information and referral center for all State initiatives for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.

(c) To establish an enforcement procedure whereby the Council may recommend to the appropriate State legal officer that the State exercise its legal remedies which shall include (1) termination of the contract involved, (2) prohibition of participation by the respondent in State public contracts for a period not to exceed 3 years, (3) imposition of a penalty in the amount of the discrepancy between the commitment contained in the utilization plan, as such amount may be amended over the term of the contract, and the qualifying payments made to the eligible certified vendors listed in the utilization plan a penalty not to exceed any profit acquired as a result of violation, or (4) any combination thereof. Such procedures shall require prior approval by Council. All funds collected as penalties under this subsection shall be used exclusively for maintenance and further development of the Business Enterprise Program and encouragement of participation in State procurement by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.

(d) To devise appropriate policies, regulations, and procedures for including participation by businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities as prime contractors, including, but not limited to: (i) encouraging the inclusions of qualified businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities on solicitation lists, (ii) investigating the potential of blanket bonding programs for small construction jobs, and (iii) investigating and making recommendations concerning the use of the sheltered market process.

(e) To devise procedures for the waiver of the participation goals in appropriate circumstances.

(f) To accept donations and, with the approval of the Council or the Chairperson of the Commission on Equity and Inclusion, grants related to the purposes of this Act; to conduct seminars related to the purpose of this Act and to charge reasonable registration fees; and to sell directories, vendor lists, and other such information to interested parties, except that forms necessary to become eligible for the program shall be provided free of charge to a business or individual applying for the Business Enterprise Program.

(Source: P.A. 101-601, eff. 1-1-20; 101-657, eff. 1-1-22; 102-29, eff. 6-25-21; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-721, eff. 1-1-23.)

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

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2029)

Sec. 8. Enforcement.

(1) The Commission on Equity and Inclusion 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 Commission determines that its goals and policies are not being met by any State agency or public institution of higher education, the Commission may recommend any or all of the following actions:

(a) Establish enforcement procedures whereby the Commission 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) the assessment of a penalty in the amount of the discrepancy between the commitment contained in the utilization plan, as such amount may be amended over the term of the contract, and the qualifying payments made to the certified vendors listed in the utilization plan imposition of a penalty not to exceed any profit acquired as a result of violation, or (4) any combination thereof.

(b) If the Commission 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 Commission 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 the scope of work 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 monitor 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) Prior to the expiration or termination of a contract, State agencies and public institutions of higher education shall evaluate the contractor's fulfillment of the contract goals for participation by certified businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. The agency or public institution of higher education shall prepare a report of the vendor's compliance with the contract goals and file it with the Secretary. If the Secretary determines that the vendor did not fulfill the contract goals, the vendor shall be in breach of the contract and may be subject to remedies or sanctions, unless the vendor can show that it made good faith efforts to meet the contract goals. Such remedies or sanctions for failing to make good faith efforts may include (i) disqualification of the contractor from doing business with the State for a period of no more than one year, or (ii) cancellation, without any penalty to the State, of any contract entered into by the vendor, or (iii) the assessment of a penalty in the amount of the discrepancy between the commitment contained in the utilization plan, as such amount may be amended over the term of the contract, and the qualifying payments made to the certified vendors listed in the utilization plan. The Business Enterprise Program shall develop procedures for determining whether a vendor has made good faith efforts to meet the contract goals upon the expiration or termination of a contract.

(Source: P.A. 101-657, eff. 1-1-22; 102-29, eff. 6-25-21.)