HB2895

THE CONTEXT: All state contracts are required to be awarded through competitive sealed bidding unless otherwise specified by law ( A. R.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would require state governmental units, municipalities, counties and school districts that enter a task order contract with a contractor in the state to conspicuously post the contract on their website, authorize municipalities, counties, school districts and state governmental units to redact any personal or proprietary information from the contract before it is posted on their website, and specifies that the following cannot be redacted: a) The total dollar amount of the contract; b) The identity of the contractor; c) A description of the services to be performed under the contract; and d) The length of the contract.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to turn the Legislature's standard for task order contracts into an enforceable rule. It would require state governmental units, municipalities, counties and school districts that enter a task order contract with a contractor in the state to conspicuously post the contract on their website, and would also authorize municipalities, counties, school districts and state governmental units to redact any personal or proprietary information from the contract before it is posted on their website, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.