State agencies must plan purchases and finish certain contracts

The department must establish and maintain an independent program to oversee state agency contracting. The program oversees contracting activities by state agencies and may review contracts between agencies and contractors. The program must be established by June 30, 2026. This provision takes effect upon passage.

Each state agency must send an annual purchasing plan to the department and the budget agency. Plans must list expected purchases for the next state fiscal year, strategies for contracts scheduled to expire that year, and any other information the department requires. The completion duty covers incomplete contracts scheduled to expire in the previous two-year budget period. The plan must match the agency’s annual spending plan. Agencies must complete covered unfinished contracts as the department directs, unless they apply to the department and budget agency for a waiver. Annual plans are required beginning July 1, 2026. The contract-completion duty applies to incomplete contracts scheduled to expire in the previous biennium.

The Memorial Place commission may run souvenir shops and use their profits for listed purposes. The commission may sell pictures, models, books, other representations, and souvenirs; run shops on property it manages; hire shop workers; or contract with a nonprofit to manage the shops. The commission may spend fund money on its property upkeep and on maintaining, repairing, or acquiring battle flags, appropriate artifacts, and appropriate memorabilia. People may make or sell representations of the monuments or grounds only with the commission’s authorization. These provisions take effect upon passage.

The act repeals the rules requiring advance newspaper notice and other steps for certain Memorial Place commission contracts. The repealed rules covered commission contracts for purchases, sales, or work costing more than $10,000. They allowed an exception to competitive bids for certain items available from one seller or at a fixed price. The repeal takes effect upon passage.