PUBLIC CONTRACTS: Provides relative to fire departments and public safety departments or agencies entering into an agreement with group purchasing organizations
HB 524 expands Louisiana's definition of "qualified group purchasing organizations" to include fire departments, public safety agencies, and similar entities. This allows these departments to join or form group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to collectively negotiate better prices for equipment, supplies, and materials they regularly purchase. The bill specifically defines a GPO as an organization with two or more participating fire, ambulance, public safety, or police departments as members, which then solicits bids from vendors. This change directly affects fire and public safety departments seeking cost-effective procurement options without altering their existing bidding requirements.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
Jun 2025
Introduced Apr 4, 2025
Signed Jun 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
HB524 Original
→
HB524 Act
·
1 edit
MINOR
This bill updates the definition of a 'qualified group purchasing organization' to explicitly include 'external procurement activities' as defined in state law. This change expands the scope of entities eligible to enter into purchasing agreements with fire, ambulance, and public safety departments, allowing for a broader range of procurement strategies.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of eligible organizations from traditional group purchasing entities to also include those conducting external procurement activities.
DEFINITION
The definition of 'qualified group purchasing organization' was modified to include 'external procurement activity' as defined in R.S. 39:1556, broadening the types of organizations that can participate in public safety purchasing agreements.
Floor votes · Senate May 27, 2025 · House Apr 30, 2025
How they voted
35–0
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 37
May 27, 2025
D
Democratic11
100% Yea
R
Republican26
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
23
Key actions
4
Committee
5
May 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
May 19, 2025
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
May 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
Apr 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 101, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably (11-0).
lower
Apr 14, 2025
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
lower
Apr 4, 2025
Committee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Annie Spell
RRepublican
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