Creating a List of Businesses Owned by Minorities and Women

Description

SB 311 instructs the Rhode Island Department of Administration to create a list of businesses owned by minorities and women for distribution to construction contractors. This is aimed at easing compliance with previously established quotas that mandate 15% of construction procurement cost should be directed toward businesses owned by minorities and women. CPAC believes that contractors should be chosen based on competence and merit, instead of immutable characteristics. Therefore, CPAC opposes this bill. The Rhode Island House of Representatives passed SB 311 on June 18, 2025, in a 66-5 vote, and Governor Daniel McKee signed the measure into law.