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Committee advances bill to require governor certification for emergency contracts
Summary
HB137, presented to the State Government committee, would limit emergency contracting without contract-review oversight by requiring a prior written governor certification that a health or safety emergency exists; the committee reported the bill favorably on a voice vote.
President Pringle told the committee HB137 is meant to preserve the Contract Review committee’s transparency role: the panel can require agencies and boards to lay contracts on the table so the public knows who is being paid and for what. "The whole purpose of contract review is forcing these agencies and these boards to lay on the table who they're contracting with, what the contract is for, and how much they're paying them," Pringle said.
Representative Chestnut asked where the certification requirement appears in the bill text. Pringle read that executive-branch agencies, including licensing boards, may let emergency contracts to the extent necessary only if the governor provides a prior written declaration certifying an emergency, and he said the requirement is meant to avoid agencies bypassing committee review.
Representative Butler moved and Representative Yarbrough seconded to report HB137 favorably; the motion passed on a voice vote and the bill received a favorable report. The transcript records committee discussion and a voice vote but does not include a roll-call tally or a specific statutory citation.
