Bill > A3159

Introduced Session

This bill establishes a price preference program for businesses owned by women who are veterans or who are serving in the United States Armed Forces that are competing for State contracts. Under current law, certain purchases or contracts payable out of State funds are publicly advertised and competitively bid on by businesses. The State then awards the contract to the lowest bidder. This bill would establish a price preference of up to 10 percent of the amount of the contract to a qualified business owned by a woman veteran or a woman serving in the military. If the business meets the requirements of the contract solicitation and is the lowest bidder due to the preference, a State agency will enter into a procurement contract with that business. If two or more qualified businesses bid on a contract utilizing the preference program, the business with the lowest bid will be awarded the contract. This bill defines "woman veteran" to mean a resident of this State who identifies as female and was honorably discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable from active service in a branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, and defines "woman serving in the military" to mean a resident of this State who identifies as female and is serving in the United States Armed Forces on full time active duty status, or who has completed Initial Entry Training. This bill defines "qualified business" to mean an independently owned and operated business that has its principal place of business in the State, at least 51 percent of which is owned and controlled by persons who are women veterans or women serving in the military, and the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women veterans or women serving in the military, or, in the case of a woman veteran with a permanent and severe disability, are controlled by the spouse of such veteran.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D)*,  Cleopatra Tucker (D)*,  Aura Dunn (R),  Nancy Muñoz (R),  Anthony Verrelli (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document