A new bill in the Minnesota House would require any business that contracts with the state government to demonstrate that it has affirmative-action policies in place.
“For all contracts for good and services in excess of $100,000, no department or agency of the state shall accept any bid or proposal for a contract or agreement from any business having more than 40 full -time employees within this state on a single working day during the previous 12 months, unless the commissioner is in receipt of the business’ affirmative action plan for the employment of minority persons, women, and qualified disabled individuals,” House File (HF) 1736 states.
The bill was introduced February 27 by Rep. Rena Moran (D-St. Paul), but currently has no co-sponsors.
It goes on to state that no department or state agency is allowed to contract with a business unless an “affirmative action plan has been approved by the commissioner,” and a “receipt of a certificate of compliance” has been issued by the commissioner.
The bill would further allow commissioners of state agencies to void contracts if a business has failed to “implement or make a good faith effort to implement an affirmative action plan.”
Additionally, HF 1736 would require any contract “in excess of $500,000” to be carried out with a business that has “an equal pay certificate.” In Minnesota, under a statute signed into law in 2014 by former Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN), state contractors are required to demonstrate that their male and female employees are paid equally and thus obtain a so-called “equal pay certificate.”
Moran has been a member of the Minnesota House since 2010, and is among the more progressive members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party. Her bill was referred to the House Labor Committee for a hearing.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo background “Affirmative Action March” by Joseluis89.
