HB 6376 Summary

• Updates the county purchasing agent's duty to contract for supplies by changing archaic language ("shall be" to "is," "said" to "the") and modernizing pronouns to be gender-inclusive.

• Requires contracts for county supplies to be advertised in at least 4 leading newspapers before January 1, 2022, then transitions to posting public notice through the local government public notice act starting January 1, 2022.

• Maintains requirements that purchasing agents solicit sealed bids for one-year supply contracts based on estimates from county offices and departments, with authority to reject bids or purchase for shorter periods (minimum 3 months) if cost-effective.

• Preserves the purchasing agent's discretion to standardize brands or grades of supplies across multiple county departments and requires preference for local bidders with established county businesses when other terms are equal.

• Tie-bar provision: Bill does not take effect unless HB 6440 is also enacted into law.