SB 2377 Mississippi Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Public Procurement Review Board; expand the contract and emergency contract reviewing authority of.

SB 2377 expands the oversight authority of Mississippi's Public Procurement Review Board, requiring the board to review all state agency contracts and emergency contracts for compliance. It mandates that the board approve purchasing regulations for state agencies (excluding computer equipment) and adopt rules for lease agreements, including requiring agencies to publicly post lease details like location, cost, and terms online before bidding. The bill also requires the board to set aside at least 5% of annual procurement spending for minority-owned businesses, defined as those owned by Black, Hispanic, Asian-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, or female individuals, with specific bidding rules for these contracts. This bill directly affects state agencies managing contracts, leases, and procurement processes across Mississippi.

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 14, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Substitute → Current version · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill title was updated from 'Committee Substitute' to 'As Passed the Senate', indicating the bill has moved forward in the legislative process. No substantive policy changes were made to the bill's content, scope, or requirements during this update.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill version designation from 'Committee Substitute' to 'As Passed the Senate' to reflect its current legislative status.

As Introduced → Committee Substitute · 8 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised to expand the authority and oversight powers of Mississippi's Public Procurement Review Board. The changes include adding new members to the board, increasing the number of term slots, and significantly broadening the Board's ability to review, approve, and reject contracts across various state agencies. The revision also establishes new standards for sole-source contracts, emergency procurement, and minority business set-asides.

Scope change

The bill's scope was significantly expanded from a general contract review statute to include detailed oversight of personal and professional services contracts, emergency procurement, and specific exemptions for certain state agencies and contractors.

ELIGIBILITY

Board composition was changed to include five voting members appointed by the Governor and Lieutenant Governor with staggered terms ending in 2019 and 2020, plus an ex officio nonvoting member.

REQUIREMENT

New requirements were added for sole-source contracts, requiring agencies to publish contract details for 14 days and provide detailed justifications for why only one source can provide the service.

Emergency contracts now require clear documentation of the emergency nature, reasonable cost considerations, and must undergo retroactive review within 30 days.

New standards were established for minority business set-asides, requiring at least 5% of annual expenditures to be set aside for minority-owned businesses with specific bid requirements.

The Board was given authority to assess fines and administrative penalties for violations of procurement regulations.

New provisions require the Board to prepare quarterly reports on sole-source contracts and develop rules for defining independent contractor relationships to comply with federal tax laws.

ENFORCEMENT

The Board was given authority to reject contracts that are not financially viable, noncompliant with laws, involve conflicts of interest, or lack adequate justification for noncompetitive contracting.

EXEMPTIONS

Multiple new exemptions were added to the Board's oversight, including contracts for computer services, higher education institutions, and specific agency contracts related to medical cannabis and infrastructure grants.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 13, 2025

How they voted

50–1

Passed

Total votes 51

Feb 13, 2025

D Democratic16

16 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican35

34 Yea 1 Nay

97% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

Referred To State Affairs;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To House

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Committee

Referred To Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor