HB187 Summary

• Amends Section 16-13B-2 and Section 41-16-51 of the Alabama Code to clarify competitive bidding exemptions for city and county boards of education and state and local governmental entities.

• Expands the cooperative purchasing exemption to explicitly include leases and lease/purchase agreements made through national or regional purchasing cooperatives like the National Association of Counties.

• Requires that goods or services purchased through cooperative agreements must result from a competitive bid process approved by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts.

• Specifies that cooperative purchases must be made through participating Alabama vendors with Alabama business licenses when such vendors are available, and prices must not exceed state purchasing program rates.

• Becomes effective immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor.