§ 143-135.5. State policy; cooperation in promoting the use of small, minority, physically handicapped and women contractors; purpose.
§ 143‑135.5. State policy; cooperation inpromoting the use of small, minority, physically handicapped and womencontractors; purpose.
(a) It is the policy of this State to encourage and promote theuse of small, minority, physically handicapped and women contractors in Stateconstruction projects. All State agencies, institutions and politicalsubdivisions shall cooperate with the Department of Administration and allother State agencies, institutions and political subdivisions in efforts toencourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped andwomen contractors in achieving the purpose of this Article, which is theeffective and economical construction of public buildings.
(b) It is the policy of this State not to accept bids or proposalsfrom, nor to engage in business with, any business that, within the last twoyears, has been finally found by a court or an administrative agency ofcompetent jurisdiction to have unlawfully discriminated on the basis of race,gender, religion, national origin, age, physical disability, or any otherunlawful basis in its solicitation, selection, hiring, or treatment of anotherbusiness. (1983, c. 692, s. 1; 2001‑496,s. 5.2.)