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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Jake Wheatley |
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Wheatley continues hearings across Pa. for review of state contracting, purchasing; next is Wednesday in Philadelphia
HARRISBURG, May 26 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, is continuing to hold public hearings across the state for his select House committee that is reviewing whether enough is being done to ensure participation in state contracts and purchasing from minority-owned, women-owned and disadvantaged-owned businesses.
Wheatley is chairman of the House Select Committee on Minority, Women, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Inclusion. The panel was created by a resolution (H.R. 78) Wheatley introduced, which the House adopted unanimously March 25. His resolution requires the committee to report its findings and any recommendations within six months. The committee held a hearing May 20 in Pittsburgh, and the testimony from that hearing is available on Wheatley's Web site: www.pahouse.com/Wheatley .
The public hearings will be held in:
- Philadelphia: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, Room 103A, Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St.
- Harrisburg: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, June 1, Room 60 East Wing, state Capitol Complex.
Wheatley said the committee will mainly focus attention on understanding barriers to participation, best practices for ensuring maximum diversity inclusion in government and industry, and recommending approaches to overcome identified barriers to adequate participation of minorities, women and disadvantaged business enterprises in contracts and employment in state government agencies, authorities and departments.
As part of its work, the select committee will review state contracting from 2000 through 2008.
The other members of the committee are Reps. Karen Beyer, R-Lehigh; Ron Buxton, D-Dauphin; Babette Josephs, D-Phila.; Mark Mustio, R-Allegheny; Curtis Sonney, R-Erie; and W. Curtis Thomas, D-Phila.
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