The bill amends Section 37-2-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 37-2, titled "State Purchases," by adding new definitions and clarifying existing terms related to state procurement processes. It introduces a new definition for "State software application purchases," which encompasses all types of agreements, including grants and orders, for the purchase or disposal of supplies, services, construction, or any other item entered into by a state agency, the cost of which may be funded in whole or in part by state funds. This definition includes various contract types such as fixed-price, cost, cost-plus-a-fixed-fee, incentive contracts, job or task orders, leases, letter contracts, purchase orders, and construction management contracts, as well as supplemental agreements related to these documents.

Additionally, the bill establishes a new section, 37-2-83, which explicitly prohibits state agencies from entering into contracts for the licensing of software applications that limit their ability to install or run the software on hardware of their choosing. The act will take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
2445: 37-2-7