FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1800

                     Synopsis as Enacted

                         C 195 L 93

Brief Description:  Funding the office of minority and women's business enterprises.

By Representatives Ogden, Romero, Wang, Veloria, Anderson, Wineberry, Rayburn, R. Meyers, King and J. Kohl; by request of Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises.

House Committee on Trade, Economic Development & Housing

House Committee on Appropriations

Background:  Minority business enterprises (MBEs) and women's business enterprises (WBEs) benefit generally from statewide economic development programs.

Washington State's Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprise (OMWBE) was created in 1983 to increase opportunities for minorities and women to obtain state contracts.  OMWBE's major duties are:  (1) to set annual MBE and WBE participation goals in fulfilling state contracts; (2) to certify businesses as eligible for MBE or WBE status; (3) to provide a certification list for state agencies and others seeking to solicit bids from MBEs or WBEs; and (4) to monitor agencies and perform investigations to identify barriers to equal participation and to expose discriminatory business practices.

Summary:  The Washington State Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprise is authorized to charge a reasonable fee for using the services of the OMWBE.  The fees may be charged:  (1) to a business for using the OMWBE services; (2) to a political subdivision for certifying a business; and (3) to a state agency and educational institution, based on the amount of funds set aside for contracts with MBEs and WBEs.

The Minority and Women's Business Enterprise account is created in the Office of the State Treasurer.  The fees collected for services provided by OMWBE are to be deposited into the account and used to cover all or part of the costs of the office.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  96 0

Senate 30 12

Effective:  July 25, 1993