BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1206
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Date of Hearing: May 4, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1206 (Galgiani) - As Amended: March 30, 2011
Policy Committee:
TransportationVote:12-1
Business and Professions 7-2
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill requires the High-Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) to adopt
a small business enterprise program for construction contracts.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the HSRA to adopt a program to include contractor
compliance monitoring and enforcement efforts, tracking and
reporting mechanism, and prompt payment, reporting, and
project closeout provisions.
2)Stipulates that the program may include separate elements for
small business enterprises, microbusinesses, and disabled
veteran business enterprises (DVBEs).
FISCAL EFFECT
The authority is already subject to Executive Order S-02-06,
which in part requires all agencies, departments, boards and
commissions to achieve a goal of 25% small business
participation in state procurements and contracts. To the extent
this bill presumes more intensive efforts to ensure attainment
of this goal, the authority could require additional staff
resources. If only two additional positions were required by the
time the high-speed rail program is at its peak, annual costs
would be about $180,000.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . According to the author, "?California's dominance in
many economic areas is based, in part, on the significant role
AB 1206
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small businesses play in the state's $1.8 trillion economy?
However, California's smaller businesses, which have been
known to bring real diversity to local economies and the
state, are concerned that they will not get their fair share
of these �high-speed rail] contracts."
2)Concern . As discussed in the Assembly Transportation Committee
analysis of this bill, the authority is already subject to the
State Contract Act, including its various provisions regarding
contracting with small businesses and DVBEs. It is unclear,
therefore, why it would be necessary, or even desirable, to
establish a parallel statutory scheme specifically for the
HSRA.
3)Related Legislation . AB 365 (Galgiani), also on today's
committee agenda, enacts penalties and sanctions relative to
the certification by the High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) of
any business as a small emerging business enterprise,
microbusiness, or DVBEs.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081