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Committee advances bill to block contract terms that restrict agencies’ ability to run or install software
Summary
S 27 86, released by the committee, would prohibit state agencies from entering contracts that limit an agency’s ability to install or run certain software; Eileen King described the measure as a way to open cloud procurement, address restrictive legacy vendor language and improve cybersecurity.
The committee released S 27 86, a short bill that would bar state agencies from signing contracts that limit their ability to install or run particular software.
Eileen King, who said she is an election official and also noted industry relationships, explained the measure as a procurement and cybersecurity reform intended to prevent legacy vendors from inserting restrictive licensing terms that impose additional fees or limit agencies’ cloud options. King said similar language has been adopted in other states and that the bill would make procurement more competitive, reduce long‑term costs and reduce certain cyber risk exposures.
King described the problem as legacy vendors inserting restrictive clauses that require other cloud service users to pay additional licensing fees; she listed major cloud vendors and the Fair Software Licensing Coalition as participants in the procurement ecosystem and said roughly eight other states have pursued similar reforms. The sponsor thanked King for her explanation and the bill was released on a roll call that recorded two no votes and multiple yes votes.
The hearing did not include technical vendor testimony in support of or opposition to specific contract language; implementation would require procurement offices and legal counsel to review current contracts and propose compliant procurement templates.
