Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §1301, first ¶ is amended to read:

The State, counties, cities and towns, and every charitable or educational institution which that is supported in whole or in part by aid granted by the State or by any municipality shall, in the awarding of contracts for services or for constructing, altering, repairing, furnishing or equipping its buildings or public works, give preference to workmen workers and to bidders for such contracts who are residents of this State, provided the bids submitted by such resident bidders are equally favorable with bids submitted by contractors from without the State. The State, counties, cities and towns and every charitable or educational institution that is supported in whole or in part by aid granted by the State or by any municipality that awards a contract for services that is not subject to competitive bidding shall consider awarding any such contract to a person who is a resident of this State and shall award that contract to such a person if the contract with such a person is equally favorable with a contract with persons from without the State. This section shall does not apply to construction or repairs amounting to less than $1,000 or to emergency work or to state road work.

SUMMARY

This bill provides that certain governmental entities shall, in the awarding of contracts for services, give preference to workers and to bidders for such contracts who are residents of this State, provided the bids submitted by such resident bidders are equally favorable with bids submitted by contractors from without the State. It also provides that these entities, when they award a contract for services that is not subject to competitive bidding, shall consider awarding that contract to a person who is a resident of this State and shall award that contract to such a person if the contract with such a person is equally favorable with a contract with persons from without the State.