Legislation & Rules Committee — St. Louis, MO
Date: 2026-05-28
Time: 15:00

Agenda
 Legislation & Rules Committee
 Meeting
 St. Louis Board of Aldermen
 Thursday, May 28, 2026 - 3:00 PM
 Kennedy Room
President Megan Green
Alderwoman Daniela Velazquez, Chair
Alderman Matt Devoti, Vice Chair
Committee Members:
Alderman Shane Cohn
Alderman Bret Narayan
Alderwoman Laura Keys
Alderman Alisha Sonnier


Order of Business
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of Minutes
 To approve the minutes from Tuesday, May 26, 2026, committee meeting.
IV. Board Bills for Review
 (The committee will discuss and take public comment on the following)
 Board Bill Number 19
 Introduced by Alderwoman Jami CoxAntwi An ordinance amending Ordinance 70767
 to extend the sunset date of the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program
 for the City of St. Louis to December 31, 2026.
V. Resolutions for Review
 None
VI. Committee Discussions
 None
VII. Acknowledgment of Any Written Testimony
VIII. Announcements
IX. Excused Members
X. Adjournment

Agenda
 Legislation & Rules Committee
 Meeting
 St. Louis Board of Aldermen
 Thursday, May 28, 2026 - 3:00 PM
 Kennedy Room
President Megan Green
Alderwoman Daniela Velazquez, Chair
Alderman Matt Devoti, Vice Chair
Committee Members:
Alderman Shane Cohn
Alderman Bret Narayan
Alderwoman Laura Keys
Alderman Alisha Sonnier


Order of Business
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of Minutes
 To approve the minutes from Tuesday, May 26, 2026, committee meeting.
IV. Board Bills for Review
 (The committee will discuss and take public comment on the following)
 Board Bill Number 19
 Introduced by Alderwoman Jami CoxAntwi An ordinance amending Ordinance 70767
 to extend the sunset date of the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program
 for the City of St. Louis to December 31, 2026.
V. Resolutions for Review
 None
VI. Committee Discussions
 None
VII. Acknowledgment of Any Written Testimony
VIII. Announcements
IX. Excused Members


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X. Adjournment




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 Minutes
 Legislation & Rules Committee
 Tuesday, May 26, 2026
 2:00 PM
 Kennedy Room
 Minutes are preliminary and may change until finally approved
I. Call to Order
 The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:15pm.
II. Roll Call
 The Chair directed the Associate Clerk to call the roll and the following
 members answered their names: Mr. Cohn, Mr. Narayan, Ms. Keys, Mr.
 Devoti and Chair Velazquez. 5 members were present. A quorum was
 established.


III. Approval of Minutes
 To approve the minutes from Tuesday, March 17, 2026, committee meeting.
 The Chair entertained a motion to approve the minutes from the Tuesday,
 March 17, 2026, committee meeting.

 Mr. Cohn moved to approve the minutes from the Tuesday, March 17, 2026,
 committee meeting.

 Seconded by Mr. Narayan.

 The Chair directed the Associate Clerk to call the roll.

 The Associate Clerk called the roll and the following votes were recorded:
 The following voted Aye: Mr. Cohn, Mr. Narayan, Ms. Keys, Mr. Devoti and
 Chair Velazquez. 5 Aye votes were cast.



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 The following voted No:
 None

 The following voted Present:
 None

 The Abstained:
 None

 The following was present but did not vote.
 None

 A total of 5 Aye votes were cast. The motion carried.
IV. Board Bills for Review
 None
V. Resolutions for Review
 None
VI. Committee Discussions
 (The committee will discuss and take public comment on the following)
 Discussion Item Number 1
 Mayoral Appointments to the Clean Energy Development Board: Stephen
 Westbrooks and Emily Andrews.
 The Chair gave a brief description of the Mayor’s appointee, Stephen
 Westbrooks.

 After no further discussion, the Chair asked the members of the committee
 for questions and comments.

 Hearing no questions or comments from members of the committee, the Chair
 entertained a motion to approve the Mayor's appointment of Stephen
 Westbrook to the Clean Energy Development Board out of committee with a
 Do Pass Recommendation.

 Ms. Velazquez moved to approve the Mayor's appointment of Stephen
 Westbrook to the Clean Energy Development Board out of committee with a

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Do Pass Recommendation.


Seconded by Mr. Narayan.

The Chair directed the Associate Clerk to call the roll.

The Associate Clerk called the roll and the following votes were recorded.
The following voted Aye: Mr. Cohn, Mr. Narayan, Ms. Keys, Mr. Devoti and
Chair Velazquez. 5 Aye votes were cast.

The following voted No:
None

The following voted Present:
None

The following Abstained:
None

The following were present but did not vote.
None

A total of 5 Aye votes were cast. The motion carried.

After no further discussion, the Chair gave a brief description of the Mayor's
appointee, Emily Andrews, to the Clean Energy Development Board.

After no further discussion, the Chair asked the members of the committee
for questions and comments.

Hearing no questions or comments from members of the committee, the Chair
entertained a motion to approve the Mayor's appointment of Emily Andrews,
to the Clean Energy Development Board out of committee with a Do Pass
Recommendation.

Ms. Velazquez moved to approve the Mayor's appointment of Emily
Andrews to the Clean Energy Development Board out of committee with a
Do Pass Recommendation.

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 Seconded by Mr. Narayan.

 Mr. Narayan requested the previous roll.

 Hearing no objection to the request for the previous roll, the Chair
 directed the Associate Clerk to record the votes from the previous roll.

 The Associate Clerk recorded the previous roll and the following votes were
 recorded.

 The following voted Aye: Mr. Cohn, Mr. Narayan, Ms. Keys, Mr. Devoti and
 Chair Velazquez. 5 Aye votes were cast.

 The following voted No:
 None

 The following voted Present:
 None

 The following Abstained:
 None

 The following were present but did not vote.
 None

 A total of 5 Aye votes were cast. The motion carried.
VII. Acknowledgment of Any Written Testimony
 None
VIII. Announcements
 None
IX. Excused Members
 The Chair excused Ms. Sonnier for necessary absence.
X. Adjournment

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Having no other business to discuss, the Chair entertained a motion to
adjourn the meeting.

Ms. Velazquez moved to adjourn the meeting.

Seconded by Mr. Narayan

Mr. Narayan requested the previous roll.

Hearing no objection to the request for the previous roll, the Chair
directed the Associate Clerk to record the votes from the previous roll.

The Associate Clerk recorded the previous roll and the following votes were
recorded.

The following voted Aye: Mr. Cohn, Mr. Narayan, Ms. Keys, Mr. Devoti and
Chair Velazquez. 5 Aye votes were cast.

The following voted No:
None

The following voted Present:
None

The following Abstained:
None

The following were present but did not vote.
None

A total of 5 Aye votes were cast. The motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 2:21pm.




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Summary
Board Bill Number 19
Introduced by Alderwoman Jami Cox Antwi
May 8, 2026

An ordinance amending Ordinance 70767 to extend the sunset date of the Minority and Women-
Owned Business Enterprise Program for the City of St. Louis to December 31, 2026.




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 BOARD BILL NUMBER 19 INTRODUCED BY ALDERWOMAN JAMI COX ANTWI

 1 An ordinance amending Ordinance 70767 to extend the sunset date of the Minority and Women-

 2 Owned Business Enterprise Program for the City of St. Louis to December 31, 2026.

 3 WHEREAS, the City of St. Louis passed Ordinance 70767 which codified the City's M/WBE

 4 Program effective June 4, 2018 and included certain programmatic changes recommended in the

 5 2015 Disparity Study; and

 6 WHEREAS, Ordinance 70767 was amended in part by Ordinance 71094, effective April 7, 2020;

 7 and

 8 WHEREAS, the City of St. Louis remains committed to using its spending powers in a manner

 9 that eliminates the disparities documented in the 2024 Disparity Study; and

10 WHEREAS, the City of St. Louis and the Board of Alderman remain committed to ensuring that

11 all St. Louis citizens participate in its economic growth and development and that no citizen be

12 denied an opportunity to participate in the procurement of goods and services due to race, sex, or

13 gender discrimination;

14 WHEREAS, the City of St. Louis and the Board of Aldermen remain committed to completing

15 the necessary actions to achieve that goal and have determined that extending the sunset date is a

16 necessary step in that effort; and

17 BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS AS FOLLOWS:

18 SECTION ONE. The Board of Aldermen finds that the Contract Disparity Study conducted by

19 Keen Independent Research (“Keen”) to determine whether Minority and Women-Owned

20 Business Enterprises (“M/WBE”s) are utilized on City of St. Louis and tax-incentivized prime

21 contracts and subcontracts relative to such firms’ availability within the St. Louis Metropolitan

22 Statistical Area was completed and presented to the City in February 2024. The Board further

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 Board Bill Number 19
 Cox Antwi
 May 8, 2026


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1 finds that the Contract Disparity Study revealed statistically significant disparities for African

 2 American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American-Owned Business

 3 Enterprise construction firms; African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, Native

 4 American, and Women Owned Business Enterprise professional services firms; African American,

 5 Asian American, Hispanic American, Native American, and Women Owned Business Enterprises

 6 other services firms; and Asian American, Hispanic American, Native American, and Women

 7 Owned Business Enterprises providing goods. Therefore, the Board finds that the Contract

 8 Disparity Study supports continuance of an M/WBE program to remedy such disparities. The

 9 Board further finds that Keen made recommendations for legislative changes to the M/WBE

10 Program that was established in Ordinance 70767. The purpose of this ordinance is to extend the

11 Sunset Date of the M/WBE Program established by Ordinance 70767 to allow time to complete

12 legislation to implement Keen’s recommendations or otherwise modify or update the M/WBE

13 Program.

14 SECTION TWO. Ordinance 70767 is amended by deleting Section 7 and inserting a new Section

15 7 which shall be and read as follows:

16 SECTION 7. BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL (BAC) AND THE SMALL BUSINESS

17 PROGRAM.

18 i. Business Advisory Council. A Business Advisory Council (BAC) shall be established

19 and appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Board of Alderman to serve as an advocate for

20 M/WBEs to increase access to the procurement process. The BAC shall have five (5) but not more

21 than nine (9) members, each appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Board of Aldermen for

22 staggered terms, with the Chairman designated and appointed by the Mayor. A member may serve

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 Board Bill Number 19
 Cox Antwi
 May 8, 2026


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 1 more than one term. The BAC members shall be approved by resolution of the St. Louis Board of

 2 Aldermen. The BAC shall advise and make M/WBE Program recommendations in the following

 3 areas:

 4 a. Increasing access to contracting opportunities for M/WBEs;

 5 b. Reviewing and advancing initiatives that impact M/WBE participation, and;

 6 c. Enhancing the notification process regarding prospective contract opportunities.

 7 Rules and guidelines for the BAC shall be consistent with applicable laws for the conduct

 8 of its business. The BAC membership and guidelines shall be published on the Minority Business

 9 Development and Compliance Office’s webpage.

10 Members shall serve for staggered terms of three (3) years. Initially up to four (4) members

11 shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years, up to three (3) members shall be appointed for a

12 term of two (2) years and up to two (2) members shall be appointed for a term of one (1) year.

13 Vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the Mayor for the remainder of the vacant term. Each

14 member shall serve without compensation.

15 The Mayor shall designate and appoint a Chairman and the committee shall elect a

16 Secretary who shall each serve for three (3) years.

17 One (1) month prior to the end of the Chairman's and the Secretary's terms, successors shall

18 be replaced pursuant to paragraph 4 above. The committee shall adopt rules consistent with

19 applicable laws for the conduct of its business.

20 The committee shall meet quarterly to review compliance with this Ordinance. In addition,

21 the committee shall at a minimum meet twice annually in open public session to receive general

22 testimony from the public. All minutes and records of the committee shall be open to the public.



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 Board Bill Number 19
 Cox Antwi
 May 8, 2026

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 1 The committee shall monitor the effectiveness of the City's program described in this Ordinance

 2 and make such recommendations to SLDC as it sees fit. The actions, decisions and

 3 recommendations of the Committee are to further the policies and goals of this Ordinance and shall

 4 not be final or binding on the City but shall be advisory only.

 5 ii. Annual Funding for M/WBE Program. Subject to annual appropriation, the City’s

 6 governing body agrees, and the Comptroller and Budget Director are hereby directed, to include

 7 annually in the City budget, to provide city revenues at a minimum sufficient to support the Data

 8 Analyst position and the centralized tracking and monitoring system in support of the M/WBE

 9 Program.

10 iii. Sunset Provision. The City will require a periodic update of the disparity study to

11 evaluate the effectiveness of the M/WBE Program. The M/WBE Program will sunset on December

12 31, 2026 unless the M/WBE Program is amended or repealed by ordinance before that date. The

13 City will perform a disparity study within three years prior of the sunset date.




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 Board Bill Number 19
 Cox Antwi
 May 8, 2026

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