This section creates a division for minority- and women-owned business enterprise matters and sets out its duties, including certification, compliance monitoring, rulemaking, and program development.
NOTE: This provision of law was included in the Unconstitutional Statutes Biennial Report to the Legislature, dated March 14, 2016. §1953. Division of minority and women's business enterprise; creation; appointment of executive director; duties A. There is hereby created the division of minority and women's business enterprise within Louisiana Economic Development. The governor shall appoint an executive director for the division. Each appointment by the governor shall be submitted to the Senate for confirmation, and every appointment confirmed by the Senate shall again be submitted by the governor to the Senate for confirmation every four years after the initial confirmation. The executive director may employ a staff as necessary to carry out the purposes of this Chapter. B. The division shall do the following: (1) Develop, plan, and implement programs to provide an opportunity for participation by qualified minority-owned businesses in public works and by qualified enterprises in the process by which goods and services are procured by state agencies and educational institutions from the private sector. (2) Develop a comprehensive plan insuring that qualified minority-owned businesses are provided an opportunity to participate in public contracts for public works and that qualified enterprises are provided the opportunity to participate in procurement of goods and services. (3) Identify barriers to equal participation by qualified enterprises in all state agency and educational institution contracts. (4) Establish annual overall goals for participation by qualified enterprises for each state agency and educational institution. (5) Develop and maintain a central enterprise certification list for all state agencies and educational institutions. (6) Develop, implement, and operate a system of monitoring compliance with this Chapter. (7) Adopt rules pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, R.S. 49:950 et seq., necessary for the implementation of this Chapter, including but not limited to rules governing: (a) The establishment of agency goals. (b) The development and maintenance of a central enterprise certification program. (c) Procedures for monitoring and enforcing compliance with certification, goals, regulations, contract provisions, and this Chapter. (8) Repealed by Acts 2010, No. 1034, §3. (9) Certify enterprises for purposes of participation in procurement set-aside programs pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 39:1731 et seq., or any other such programs as provided by state or federal law. (10) Give assistance to small businesses in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 39:1734. Acts 1984, No. 653, §1, eff. July 1, 1984; Acts 1992, No. 797, §2, eff. July 1, 1992; Acts 2010, No. 1034, §3.