Senate Bill 2377

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ANY COUNTY TO SET ASIDE FOR EXPENDITURE WITH MINORITY BUSINESSES A CERTAIN PORTION OF ANNUAL ANTICIPATED CONTRACT EXPENDITURES FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC WORK PROJECTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. In addition to any authority granted elsewhere by law, boards of supervisors of counties are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, in contracting for professional services and public work projects, to set aside for expenditure with minority businesses not more than twenty percent (20%) of their annual anticipated expenditures for such purposes. All such set-aside expenditures shall comply with all applicable purchasing regulations promulgated by the Department of Finance and Administration and shall be subject to any bid requirements otherwise provided by law. Set-aside expenditures for which competitive bids are required shall be made from the lowest and best minority business bidder. For the purposes of this act, the term "minority business" means (a) a business which is owned by a majority of persons who are, or (b) licensed professionals who are: United States citizens or permanent resident aliens (as defined by the Immigration and Naturalization Service) of the United States, and who are Asian, Black, Hispanic or Native American, according to the following definitions:

"Asian" means persons having origins in any of the original people of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands.

"Black" means persons having origins in any black racial group of Africa.

"Hispanic" means persons of Spanish or Portuguese culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America, or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race.

"Native American" means persons having origins in any of the original people of North America, including American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.