Bill > S2463

This bill mandates that the executive office for administration and finance, in collaboration with the inspector general, will review the Commonwealth's procurement policies concerning products that might contain minerals sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighboring countries, often referred to as "Congo conflict minerals." The review will focus on identifying best practices to ensure that suppliers of electronics and information technology provide products that do not fund armed conflict or involve human rights abuses, that the origin and exporter of specific minerals like columbite-tantalite, cassiterite, wolframite, and gold can be traced, and that all necessary taxes have been paid on these raw materials. Additionally, the review will assess the effectiveness of potential penalties or trade bans for businesses that fail to comply with disclosure requirements related to these conflict minerals, as outlined in section 13(p) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, particularly if their disclosures are unreliable or false. Finally, the report will propose any necessary legislative actions, including recommendations, to support mineral exporters from the region who demonstrate transparency in their export payments and certify that their minerals do not contribute to armed conflict, human rights violations, or environmental damage, with the findings to be submitted by February 1, 2017.