CAWP Legislative News 2-10

Wheatley Announces Package of MBE/WBE Contracting Bills

State Representative Jake Wheatley (D-Allegheny) and several House and Senate colleagues unveiled bipartisan legislation January 26, that is designed to ensure participation in state contracts and purchasing from minority-owned, women-owned and disadvantaged-owned businesses and small businesses. The lawmakers were joined by more than 100 businesspeople from across the state who came to the Capitol to lobby in support of the 10-bill package.

"These bills would help small businesses to grow. This package of legislation would ensure that small businesses and minority-owned, women-owned and disadvantaged-owned businesses across Pennsylvania would receive a fair share of the state work funded by the taxes they and their employees pay," said Wheatley, who served as chairman of the House Select Committee on Minority, Women, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Inclusion. The select committee issued recommendations in September that led to the new legislation.