HARRY HUGHES, Governor

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minority business enterprises, and to protect the integrity of
the procurement process.

(c)  (1) Subject to § 2-1312 of the State Government
Article, each department shall make a report annually within 90
days following the close of the fiscal year to the Board, the
Legislative Policy Committee, and the Governor's Office of
Minority Affairs of the total number and value of its purchases
from CERTIFIED minority business enterprises, and the percentage
which those purchases represent of its total number and value of
its purchases for the preceding fiscal year.

(2)  Each procurement agency, other than the
departments, shall compile, to the extent available, the
information specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection. Not
later than 90 days following the close of each fiscal year, each
procurement agency shall transmit that information to the
Governor's Office of Minority Affairs and additionally shall
state whatever steps it has taken to comply with paragraph (b)(3)
of this section. The Governor's Office of Minority Affairs shall
report not later than the end of the calendar year to the
Legislative Policy Committee, summarizing the information
submitted under this paragraph by procurement agencies.

(3)  The Legislative Policy Committee shall direct at
least 1 standing committee of the House of Delegates and 1
standing committee of the Senate of Maryland to review annually
the performance of State agencies under this subtitle as reported
in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection.

(d)  A department may suspend the provisions of subsection
(b) if it concludes they conflict with any applicable federal
program requirement. Any such suspension shall be in writing and
shall be included with the report required by subsection (c).

(e)  (1) A person may not:

(i) Fraudulently obtain, retain, attempt to
obtain or retain, or aid another in fraudulently obtaining or
retaining or attempting to obtain or retain certification as a
minority business enterprise for the purposes of this subtitle;

(ii) Willfully make a false statement, whether
by affidavit, report, or other representation, to a State
official or employee for the purpose of influencing the
certification or denial of certification of any entity as a
minority business enterprise;

(iii) Willfully obstruct, impede, or attempt to
obstruct or impede any State official or employee who is
investigating the qualifications of a business entity which has
requested certification as a minority business enterprise; or

(iv) Fraudulently obtain, attempt to obtain, or
aid another person in fraudulently obtaining or attempting to