Bill to require state to share certified MBE/WBE lists with prime contractors is held; stakeholder requests to add disability-owned businesses

Senate Bill 311, sponsored by Senator Vargas, would require the Department of Administration to provide a list of certified minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises to prospective contractors bidding on construction projects. The Senate Committee on Labor and Gaming heard testimony in support and ordered the bill held for further work.

Senator Vargas said the bill would codify an internal Department of Administration practice so the list would be required by statute rather than dependent on administrative leadership. "If they're doing it, there shouldn't be a reason why we don't already add it," she said. Anthony Cherry of Build Rhode Island and Bill Walsh of Rhode Island Hospitality testified in support; Cherry described a working group of prime contractors, subcontractors, union leadership and DOA that recommended clarifying the meaning of "assistance" in the bill to ensure the list is useful to prime contractors.

Bob Marshall of the Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Council asked the sponsor to consider adding disability-owned businesses to the requirement, calling disability-owned enterprises the "poor cousin" of other certification categories. Senator Vargas indicated willingness to consider that change and stakeholders agreed to continue work on language; the committee voted to hold the bill.