summary
Introduced
02/04/2026
02/04/2026
In Committee
02/17/2026
02/17/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
104th General Assembly
Bill Summary
Amends the Counties Code. Provides that any purchase by a county with fewer than 2,000,000 inhabitants, or an elected official in a county with fewer than 2,000,000 inhabitants, including an elected official with control of the internal operations of the office, of services, materials, equipment, or supplies in excess of $60,000 (rather than $30,000), other than professional services, shall be contracted (1) by a contract let to the lowest responsible bidder after advertising for bids in a newspaper published within the county or, if no newspaper is published within the county, then a newspaper having general circulation within the county; (2) by a contract let without advertising for bids in the case of an emergency if authorized by the county board; or (3) by a contract let without advertising for bids in the case of the expedited replacement of a disabled, inoperable, or damaged patrol vehicle of the sheriff's department if authorized by the county board.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Counties Code to increase the threshold for requiring competitive bids on purchases made by counties with fewer than 2,000,000 inhabitants, or by elected officials within those counties. Specifically, the amount for services, materials, equipment, or supplies that must be contracted through a competitive bidding process, after advertising for bids from the lowest responsible bidder, is raised from $30,000 to $60,000, with exceptions for emergencies, expedited replacement of sheriff's department patrol vehicles, and certain professional services. The term "responsible bidder" is further defined to include considerations beyond just the lowest price, such as the quality of goods, suitability, support services, compatibility with existing systems, and delivery terms, and allows counties to consider a bidder's participation in registered apprenticeship programs and to prioritize private enterprises over state-controlled enterprises even if the latter offers a lower bid.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (3)
Last Action
Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Sally J. Turner (on 02/19/2026)
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