33.752. Minority business advocacy commission established--members--qualifications--terms--vacancy--per diem and expenses--meetings--duties--staff.
Minority business advocacy commissionestablished--members--qualifications--terms--vacancy--per diemand expenses--meetings--duties--staff.
33.752. 1. There is hereby established the "Missouri Minority BusinessAdvocacy Commission". The commission shall consist of nine members:
(1) The director of the department of economic development;
(2) The commissioner of the office of administration;
(3) Three minority business persons, appointed by the governor, one ofwhom shall be designated chairman of the commission;
(4) Two members of the house of representatives appointed by the speakerof the house of representatives;
(5) Two members of the senate appointed by the president pro tempore ofthe senate. No more than two of the three members appointed by the governor may be of thesame political party. Appointed members of the commission shall servefour-year terms, except that of the initial appointments made by the governor,one shall be for a two-year term, one shall be for a three-year term and oneshall be for a four-year term. A vacancy occurs if a legislative memberleaves office for any reason. Any vacancy on the commission shall be filledin the same manner as the original appointment.
2. The department of economic development and the office ofadministration shall develop a plan to increase procurements from minoritybusinesses by all state departments and submit that plan to the governor byJuly, 1994.
3. Each member appointed by the governor shall receive as compensation aper diem of up to thirty-five dollars for each day devoted to the affairs ofthe commission and be reimbursed for his actual and necessary expensesincurred in the discharge of his official duties.
4. Each legislative member of the commission is entitled to receive thesame per diem, mileage, and travel allowances paid to members of the generalassembly serving on interim committees. The allowances specified in thissubsection shall be paid from the amounts appropriated for that purpose.
5. The commission shall meet at least three times each year and at othertimes as the chairman deems necessary.
6. The duties of the commission shall include, but not be limited to,the following:
(1) Identify minority businesses in the state;
(2) Assess the needs of minority businesses;
(3) Initiate aggressive programs to assist minority businesses inobtaining state contracts and federal agency procurements;
(4) Give special publicity to procurement, bidding, and qualifyingprocedures;
(5) Include minority businesses on solicitation mailing lists;
(6) Make recommendations regarding policies, programs and procedures tobe implemented by the commissioner of the office of administration;
(7) Prepare and maintain timely data on minority business qualified tobid on state and federal procurement projects;
(8) Prepare a review of the commission and the various affecteddepartments of government to be submitted to the governor and the generalassembly on March first and October first of each year, evaluating progressmade in the areas defined in this subsection;
(9) Provide a focal point and assist and counsel minority smallbusinesses in their dealings with federal, state and local governmentsregarding the obtaining of business licenses and permits, including, but notlimited to, providing ready access to information regarding governmentrequirements which affect minority small business;
(10) Analyze current legislation and regulation as it affects minoritybusiness for the purpose of determining methods of elimination orsimplification of unnecessary regulatory requirements;
(11) Assist minority businesses in obtaining available technical andfinancial assistance;
(12) Initiate and encourage minority business education programs,including programs in cooperation with various public and private educationalinstitutions;
(13) Receive complaints and recommendations concerning policies andactivities of federal, state and local governmental agencies which affectminority small businesses, and develop, in cooperation with the agencyinvolved, proposals for changes in policies or activities to alleviate anyunnecessary adverse effects to minority small business.
7. The department of economic development shall furnish administrativesupport and staff for the effective operation of the commission.
(L. 1984 S.B. 468 § 2, A.L. 1993 H.B. 566)