The bill amends Chapter 37-2 of the General Laws by adding a new section, 37-2-83, which prohibits state agencies from entering into contracts that limit their ability to install or run software on hardware of their choosing. The bill defines "state agencies" as per the definition in 37-2-7 and specifies that "state software application purchases" encompass all types of agreements related to the procurement of supplies, services, construction, or any other item, funded in whole or in part by state resources. This includes various contract types such as fixed-price, cost-plus, leases, and purchase orders.

Under this new provision, any contract for the licensing of software applications intended for installation by a state agency and designed to run on generally available desktop or server hardware must not impose limitations on the agency's choice of hardware for running the software. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.