BILL NUMBER: SB 532	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Cogdill

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to amend Section 20131 of the Public Contract Code,
relating to public contracts.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 532, as introduced, Cogdill. Contracting: counties: purchasing
agents.
   Existing law, with regard to public works projects awarded by
counties, imposes certain mandatory procedures in soliciting and
evaluating bids and awarding those contracts. Existing law provides
that counties that employ purchasing agents, as specified, may exempt
the purchasing agent from those procedures (1) with regard to the
employment of state-licensed independent contractors and the purchase
of materials, furnishings, and supplies used in the construction or
repair of public works estimated as costing not more than $6,500, or
(2) in counties containing a population of 500,000 or more, with
regard to the purchase of materials and supplies used in the
construction or repair of public works estimated as costing not more
than $3,500.
   This bill would revise these provisions to instead authorize these
exemptions where the estimation of cost is no more than $20,000 or
$11,000, respectively.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 20131 of the Public Contract Code is amended to
read:
   20131.  Counties  which   that  employ
purchasing agents may:
   (a) Authorize the agent to employ state-licensed independent
contractors and purchase materials, furnishings, and supplies used in
the construction or repair of public works estimated as costing not
more than  six thousand five hundred dollars ($6,500)
  twenty thousand dollars ($20,000)  without the
formality of obtaining bids, letting contracts, preparing
specifications, and the other things required by this article.
   (b) In counties containing a population of 500,000 or more,
authorize the agent to purchase materials and supplies used in the
construction or repair of public works estimated as costing not more
than  three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500) 
 eleven thousand dollars ($11,000)  without the formality of
obtaining bids, letting contracts, preparing specifications, and the
other things required by this article.
   (c) Authorize the agent to purchase or contract for medical or
surgical equipment or supplies, or for professional services, for a
county hospital without competitive bidding, so long as an
appropriation for the costs of those purchases or contracts is
included in the county budget.
   As used in this subdivision, "medical or surgical equipment or
supplies" means only equipment or supplies commonly, necessarily, and
directly used by or under the direction of a physician and surgeon
in caring for or treating a patient in a hospital.