Public purchasing laws; revise to include set asides for businesses owned by veterans and people with disabilities.

HB 703 requires Mississippi state agencies to reserve at least 5% of annual commodity purchases for businesses owned by veterans and people with disabilities, expanding an existing requirement that previously applied only to minority-owned businesses. This law amends public purchasing regulations to explicitly include veteran- and disability-owned businesses as eligible for set-aside contracts, while maintaining existing bidding rules (e.g., lowest bid must be accepted unless 2% higher than a qualified minority bid). The policy affects all state agencies purchasing goods, ensuring these businesses can compete for a portion of procurement contracts. The bill does not change the 20% maximum set-aside cap for minority businesses or alter the process for awarding contracts.