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Bill

HB 826

Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs - Repeal of Interdepartmental Advisory Committee and Establishment of the Governor's Subcabinet on Socioeconomic Procurement Participation

2025 Regular Session

Maryland replaces its interdepartmental advisory committee with a Governor-led subcabinet to coordinate state contracting opportunities for small, minority, and women-owned businesses.

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 619
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Bill Summary · HB 826

Legislative bill overview

HB 826 restructures Maryland's approach to small, minority, and women-owned business (SMWB) procurement by eliminating the existing Interdepartmental Advisory Committee and replacing it with a new Governor's Subcabinet on Socioeconomic Procurement Participation. The bill consolidates oversight and coordination of state contracting opportunities for disadvantaged business enterprises under a higher-level governance structure reporting directly to the Governor.

Why is this important

This change affects how state government contracts are awarded to SMWBs, which is a significant economic opportunity for underrepresented business communities. The shift from an advisory committee to a subcabinet suggests increased executive attention and decision-making power, potentially accelerating procurement initiatives and policy changes—but also centralizing control in the Governor's office rather than distributed across departments.

Potential points of contention

  • Consolidation of power: Moving from a collaborative interdepartmental advisory structure to a subcabinet under the Governor may reduce input from individual agencies and create bottlenecks if subcabinet decisions are slower or more rigid
  • Unclear specific authorities: The bill's language about the subcabinet's actual powers, budget, and enforcement mechanisms may be undefined, raising questions about whether this is a symbolic or substantive upgrade
  • Implementation timeline and staffing: Transitioning between governance structures risks disrupting ongoing SMWB programs and contracts if new leadership is inexperienced or slow to operationalize

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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