Chicago City Wire

Justin Slaughter introduced HB1225 in the Illinois House on Jan. 9, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Creates the Best Customer Price Act. Provides that a public institution of higher education or a State agency may require best customer pricing for any goods it procures. Provides that, if goods are to be purchased by the State from a supplier or reseller, the supplier or reseller shall attest that the price is the best customer price. Provides that the supplier or reseller shall include a provision in the letter of supply from the manufacturer that the supplier or reseller can secure the supply and quantity of goods to be purchased, and that the manufacturer has extended the same best customer pricing from the manufacturer to each of the suppliers or resellers registered with the State for the goods to be purchased. Provides that, if a public institution of higher education or a State agency requires best customer pricing for the goods but does not believe the price is competitive, the public institution of higher education or the State agency may decline to award the bid. Effective immediately."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill, known as the Best Customer Price Act, seeks to ensure that Illinois state agencies and public institutions of higher education receive the best prices available when procuring goods. It mandates that suppliers or resellers attest to offering the best customer pricing, which includes favorable terms such as discounts and rebates. The legislation specifically supports small and mid-sized businesses, particularly minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned companies, by requiring these businesses to receive the same favorable pricing from manufacturers. This approach is designed to foster fair competition and address discrimination without explicit racial or gender considerations. Manufacturers are not obligated to offer the best pricing for goods not purchased by the state, and no proprietary information must be disclosed in the procurement process. The act is set to be repealed on January 1, 2031, and takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Slaughter graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA.

Justin Slaughter is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 27th House District. He replaced previous state representative Monique D. Davis in 2017.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB1225	01/09/2025	Creates the Best Customer Price Act. Provides that a public institution of higher education or a State agency may require best customer pricing for any goods it procures. Provides that, if goods are to be purchased by the State from a supplier or reseller, the supplier or reseller shall attest that the price is the best customer price. Provides that the supplier or reseller shall include a provision in the letter of supply from the manufacturer that the supplier or reseller can secure the supply and quantity of goods to be purchased, and that the manufacturer has extended the same best customer pricing from the manufacturer to each of the suppliers or resellers registered with the State for the goods to be purchased. Provides that, if a public institution of higher education or a State agency requires best customer pricing for the goods but does not believe the price is competitive, the public institution of higher education or the State agency may decline to award the bid. Effective immediately.