HB38 Alabama 2020 Session

Under existing law, city and county boards of education are required to competitively bid certain contracts

This bill would permit leases of certain goods or services pursuant to a competitive bid nationwide cooperative purchasing program by exempting certain leases of goods or services from the competitive bid law

Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose

The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the amendment

To amend Section 16-13B-2, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to competitive bidding for certain contracts by local boards of education; to exempt certain leases of goods or services from the competitive bid law; and in connection therewith would have as its purpose or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended.

Section 1

Section 16-13B-2 of the Code of Alabama 1975, is amended to read as follows:

§16-13B-2.

(a) Competitive bids shall not be required for utility services for county or city boards of education, the rates for which are fixed by law, regulation, or ordinance, and the competitive bidding requirements of this chapter shall not apply to:

(1) The purchase of insurance.

(2) Contracts for securing services of attorneys, physicians, architects, teachers, superintendents of construction, artists, appraisers, engineers, consultants, certified public accountants, public accountants, or other individuals possessing a high degree of professional skill where the personality of the individual plays a decisive part.

(3) Contracts of employment in the regular civil service.

(4) Contracts for fiscal or financial advice or services.

(5) Purchases of products made or manufactured by the blind or visually handicapped under the direction or supervision of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind in accordance with Sections 21-2-1 to 21-2-4, inclusive.

(6) Purchases of maps or photographs from any federal agency.

(7) Purchases of manuscripts, books, maps, pamphlets, or periodicals.

(8) The selection of paying agents and trustees for any security issued by a public body.

(9) Existing contracts up for renewal for sanitation or solid waste collection, recycling, or disposal and those providing the service.

(10) Purchases of computer and word processing hardware when the hardware is the only type that is compatible with hardware already owned by the entity taking bids and custom software.

(11) Contractual services and purchases of commodities for which there is only one vendor or supplier and contractual services and purchases of personal property which by their very nature are impossible to award by competitive bidding.

(12) Contractual services and purchases of products related to, or having an impact upon, security plans, procedures, assessments, measures, or systems, or the security or safety of persons, structures, facilities, or infrastructures.

(13) Purchases or leases of goods or services, other than voice or data wireless communication services, made as a part of any purchasing cooperative sponsored by the National Association of Counties, its successor organization, or any other national or regional governmental cooperative purchasing program. Such purchases or leases may only be made if all of the following occur:

a. The goods or services being purchased or leased are available as a result of a competitive bid process approved by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts for each bid.

b. The goods or services are either not at the time available to local boards of education on the state purchasing program or are available at a price equal to or less than that on the state purchasing program.

c. The purchase or lease is made through a participating Alabama vendor holding an Alabama business license if such a vendor exists.

(14) Purchases of unprocessed agricultural products as defined in subsection (b) of Section 16-1-46 and the cost of the food purchased is equal to or less than the federal simplified acquisition threshold set in 2 C.F.R. §200.88.

(15) Purchase of goods or services, other than voice or data wireless communication services, from vendors that have been awarded a current and valid general services administration contract. Prices paid for the goods or services may not exceed the lowest competitively bid price for these goods or services, other than voice or data wireless communication services, and may not exceed the price on an existing state purchasing program.

(b) This chapter shall not apply to:

(1) Any purchases of products where the price of the products is already regulated and established by state law.

(2) Purchases made by individual schools of the county or municipal public school systems from moneys other than those raised by taxation or received through appropriations from state or county sources.

(c) The city and county boards of education shall establish and maintain such purchasing facilities and procedures as may be necessary to carry out the intent and purpose of this chapter by complying with the requirements for competitive bidding in the operation and management of each city and county board of education.

(d) Contracts entered into in violation of this chapter shall be void, and anyone who violates this chapter shall be guilty of a Class C felony."

Section 2

Although this bill would have as its purpose or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of local funds, the bill is excluded from further requirements and application under Amendment 621, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, because the bill defines a new crime or amends the definition of an existing crime.

Section 3

This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.