Section 312-A. Study of minority and women-owned business enterprise programs

1. The director of the division of  minority  and  women-owned
  business  development  in  the  department  of  economic  development is
  authorized and  directed  to  commission  a  statewide  disparity  study
  regarding   the  participation  of  minority  and  women-owned  business
  enterprises in state contracts since the enactment of this article.  The
  study  shall  be prepared by an entity independent of the department and
  selected through a request for proposal process.  The  purpose  of  such
  study is to determine whether there is a disparity between the number of
  qualified minority and women-owned businesses ready, willing and able to
  perform  state contracts for commodities, services and construction, and
  the  number  of  such  contractors  actually  engaged  to  perform  such
  contracts,  and  to  determine  what  changes, if any, should be made to
  state policies affecting minority and women-owned business  enterprises.
  Such  study  shall  include,  but  not be limited to, an analysis of the
  impact of court decisions regarding the use of quotas and set-asides  as
  a  means of securing and ensuring participation by minorities and women,
  and a disparity analysis by market area and region of the state.
    2. The director of the division of minority and  women-owned  business
  development  is directed to transmit the disparity study to the governor
  and the legislature not later than eighteen months after  the  effective
  date  of  this  subdivision, and to post the study on the website of the
  department of economic development.
    * NB Expires December 31, 2018