Bill > S06317

This bill amends the General Municipal Law to allow political subdivisions to award public contracts to participants in a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) program under specific conditions. The bill permits these subdivisions to award contracts valued up to one million dollars to an MWBE participant even if their bid is not the absolute lowest, provided the MWBE bid is within 10% of the lowest bid. To qualify, the political subdivision must have conducted a study demonstrating a disparity between the availability and utilization of MWBEs in contract awards. An MWBE program is defined as an initiative designed to increase MWBE participation in public contracting based on documented evidence of past disparities. The bill aims to provide additional opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses to compete for public contracts by allowing a small cost premium, recognizing potential systemic barriers these businesses may face in the traditional bidding process. The legislation will take effect 30 days after becoming law.

Budget and Finance

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S6317