Notwithstanding the authority granted under subsection (4)(d) of Section 43-1-2, the Department of Human Services or the Executive Director of Human Services shall not be authorized to delegate, privatize or otherwise enter into a contract with a private entity for the operation of any office, bureau or division of the department, as defined in Section 7-17-11, without specific authority to do so by general act of the Legislature. However, nothing in this section shall be construed to invalidate (a) any contract of the department that is in place and operational before January 1, 1994; or (b) the continued renewal of any such contract with the same entity upon the expiration of the contract; or (c) the execution of a contract with another legal entity as a replacement of any such contract that is expiring, provided that the replacement contract is substantially the same as the expiring contract. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Department of Human Services or the Executive Director of Human Services from entering into any contract with vendors or contractors intended to improve performance, reduce costs or increase efficiency, so long as the contract remains under the supervision or control of an office, bureau or division of the department, and provided that no county office of the department may be closed unless the Legislature specifically authorizes its closure in advance of the closure.

This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2023.