U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. Stands with Texas Black Chambers in Support of Lawsuit to Reinstate the Historically Underutilized Business Program

USBC joins Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce in calling for the restoration of the state’s HUB program after acting Comptroller’s unilateral dismantling

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] March 6, 2026 – The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) stands with the Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce (TAAACC) in support of the recently filed lawsuit seeking to reinstate the Texas Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program. The suit, filed Monday in Travis County District Court, challenges acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock’s emergency regulations that stripped more than 15,000 minority- and women-owned businesses of their HUB certification.

Alphonso David, president of the Global Black Economic Forum and co-lead counsel in the lawsuit, called it “the first major lawsuit affirmatively challenging state government action taken to dismantle a legislatively enacted diversity-related contracting program,” adding that “a state official cannot effectively undo a law passed by the Legislature.”

USBC is intimately connected with Texas Black chambers and the businesses they support and regularly receives updates on issues facing chambers and businesses across the state.

In response to the filing, USBC President & CEO Ron Busby, Sr. said, “This is not a political issue; this is a business issue. The HUB program was established by the Texas Legislature to ensure that Black-owned and minority-owned businesses have a fair shot at state contracts. For one individual to unilaterally gut that program, with no legislative authority and no due process, is an attack on every small business owner who built their company playing by the rules. USBC represents 365,000 businesses through 175 chambers across this country, and we will always stand with our members when their right to compete is under threat.”

Charles O’Neal, president of TAAACC, noted that the lawsuit represents a necessary escalation in long-standing advocacy efforts. “For decades, TAAACC has worked collaboratively with state leaders to strengthen and improve the HUB Program. This lawsuit is a necessary progression in that advocacy. It is unconscionable that a state agency head would so obviously overstep the bounds of his responsibility.” O’Neal added, “We fully expect that members of the Legislature will hold him accountable and take appropriate action to ensure that lawmaking authority remains with the state’s elected representatives.”

The lawsuit has drawn support from members of the Texas Legislature, who note that Hancock’s emergency regulations contradict the will of the body that created the HUB program by statute. State Senators Royce West, Borris Miles, Carol Alvarado, and Jose Menendez, along with State Representative and Chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, voiced support for the lawsuit at a recent press conference announcing the filing.

“The Legislature passed this law 35 years ago. The Comptroller doesn’t get to override the law because he disagrees with it – that’s not his role under the Texas Constitution, and these business owners who are named plaintiffs deserve to have that principle upheld in court,” said Senator West.

The case was filed in Travis County state court, which handles challenges to state administrative actions. Plaintiffs are represented by Alphonso David of the Global Black Economic Forum; Adam Schuman, David Hoffman, and Shanice Hinckson of Petrillo Klein + Boxer LLP; and Chad Dunn of Brazil & Dunn LLP.

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About USBC:

The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) provides committed, visionary leadership and advocacy in the realization of economic empowerment. Through the creation of resources and initiatives, we support a network of African American Chambers of Commerce and business organizations in their work of developing and growing Black enterprises. Learn more at usblackchambers.org.