Pennsylvania HB 1760: An Act amending Titles 51 (Military Affairs), 62 (Procurement) and 74 (Transportation) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in veteran-owned small businesses, further providing for definitions, for regulations, for participation goal, for duties of Department of General Services and for bonding and progress payments, providing for request for full or partial waiver of contract-specific goal, further providing for reports and providing for disparity study; in small and disadvantaged businesses, further providing for policy and for definitions, providing for Small Diverse Business Program and for nonapplicability, further providing for regulations and for duties of department, providing for request for full or partial waiver of contract-specific goal, further providing for bonding and progress payments and for report to General Assembly and providing for aspirational target, for disparity study and for program expiration; providing for Participation Program for Construction and Design Professional Services; and making editorial changes.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 2168
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1760
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SCOTT, GUENST, GIRAL, HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ, CEPEDA-
FREYTIZ, MAYES, HOHENSTEIN, D. WILLIAMS AND HADDOCK,
JULY 23, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, JULY 23, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Titles 51 (Military Affairs), 62 (Procurement) and 74
(Transportation) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes,
in veteran-owned small businesses, further providing for
definitions, for regulations, for participation goal, for
duties of Department of General Services and for bonding and
progress payments, providing for request for full or partial
waiver of contract-specific goal, further providing for
reports and providing for disparity study; in small and
disadvantaged businesses, further providing for policy and
for definitions, providing for Small Diverse Business Program
and for nonapplicability, further providing for regulations
and for duties of department, providing for request for full
or partial waiver of contract-specific goal, further
providing for bonding and progress payments and for report to
General Assembly and providing for aspirational target, for
disparity study and for program expiration; providing for
Participation Program for Construction and Design
Professional Services; and making editorial changes.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 9601, 9602 heading, (a) and (c), 9603,
9604, 9605, 9606 and 9607 of Title 51 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
§ 9601. Definitions.
Subject to section 9602 (relating to policy and regulations),
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the following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Aspirational target." A target established by the Secretary
of General Services under section 9603 (relating to Statewide
participation goal and aspirational target).
"Commonwealth agency." As defined in 62 Pa.C.S. § 103
(relating to definitions).
"Contract-specific goal." A goal established by the
Department of General Services in collaboration with the
purchasing agency for utilization of veteran business
enterprises on a specific procurement.
"Disparity study." A study conducted to determine whether a
disparity exists between the availability of veteran business
enterprises and the Commonwealth's utilization of veteran
business enterprises.
"Executive agency." As defined in 62 Pa.C.S. § 103
[(relating to definitions)].
"Purchasing agency." As defined in 62 Pa.C.S. § 103
[(relating to definitions)].
"Service-disabled." Being in possession of:
(1) a disability rating letter issued by the United
States Department of Veterans Affairs; or
(2) a disability determination from the United States
Department of Defense.
"Service-disabled veteran-owned small business." A small
business owned and controlled by:
(1) a service-disabled veteran or veterans; [or
(2) if approved by the Department of General Services, a
surviving spouse or permanent caregiver of a service-disabled
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veteran.]
(2) if approved by the Department of General Services, a
spouse of a disabled veteran who has been classified by the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans
Benefits Administration as having a permanent total
disability;
( 3) if approved by the Department of General Services, a
surviving spouse who is an unmarried spouse of a deceased or
service-disabled veteran or of a service member who died on
active duty in the United States Armed Forces, including a
reserve component or National Guard; or
(4) if approved by the Department of General Services, a
permanent caregiver of a service-disabled veteran.
"Small business." As defined in 62 Pa.C.S. § 2102 (relating
to definitions).
"State-affiliated entity." As defined in 62 Pa.C.S. § 103
[(relating to definitions)].
"Utilization schedule." A document, submitted by a bidder or
offeror as part of a bid or proposal, in which a bidder or
offeror commits to a level of veteran business enterprise
participation for a contract, identifies the associated
responsibilities and scopes of work and identifies the dollar
value or percentages of the work to be performed.
"Veteran." An individual who served in the United States
Armed Forces, including a reserve component or the National
Guard, and who was discharged or released from service under
conditions other than dishonorable.
"Veteran business enterprise." Any of the following:
(1) A veteran-owned small business.
(2) A service-disabled veteran-owned small business.
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"Veteran-owned small business." A small business owned and
controlled by a veteran or veterans.
§ 9602. [Regulations] Po