Raised Bill No. 389 is a comprehensive piece of legislation that seeks to amend and update the laws governing state contracting and procurement processes in various ways. The bill sets forth that the appropriations for the State Contracting Standards Board should be based on the expenditure requirements submitted by the board's executive director, and it prohibits the Governor from reducing the board's allotment requisitions or allotments in force. It also revises definitions for terms such as "contract," excluding contracts with political subdivisions, and removes the term "term contract," renumbering subsequent definitions. The bill makes insertions and deletions to update legal language, such as amending the definition of "nonprofit agency" and removing references to quasi-public agencies in certain contexts, effective July 1, 2024.

The bill also outlines the expanded responsibilities of the Chief Procurement Officer, mandates the employment of at least five full-time employees for the board, and recommends the repeal of redundant statutes. It emphasizes the board's authority in state contracting agency procurements and introduces new provisions for the privatization of services, lowering the threshold for affected state agency employees from one hundred to ten. The bill requires a detailed business case for privatization, including an analysis of the impact on workers of color and women, and expands the definition of "core governmental function." It also modifies the conditions for renewing privatization contracts, including General Assembly approval for renewals exceeding certain cost thresholds.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 12-815