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Article 9.5. Discrimination of California Government Code >> Division 3. >> Title 2. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 9.5.

(a) No person in the State of California shall, on the basis of race, national origin, ethnic group identification, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, color, genetic information, or disability, be unlawfully denied full and equal access to the benefits of, or be unlawfully subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity that is conducted, operated, or administered by the state or by any state agency, is funded directly by the state, or receives any financial assistance from the state. Notwithstanding Section 11000, this section applies to the California State University.
  (b) With respect to discrimination on the basis of disability, programs and activities subject to subdivision (a) shall meet the protections and prohibitions contained in Section 202 of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132), and the federal rules and regulations adopted in implementation thereof, except that if the laws of this state prescribe stronger protections and prohibitions, the programs and activities subject to subdivision (a) shall be subject to the stronger protections and prohibitions.
  (c) (1) As used in this section, "disability" means any mental or physical disability, as defined in Section 12926.
  (2) The Legislature finds and declares that the amendments made to this act are declarative of existing law. The Legislature further finds and declares that in enacting Senate Bill 105 of the 2001-02 Regular Session (Chapter 1102 of the Statutes of 2002), it was the intention of the Legislature to apply subdivision (d) to the California State University in the same manner that subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) already applied to the California State University, notwithstanding Section 11000. In clarifying that the California State University is subject to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d), it is not the intention of the Legislature to increase the cost of developing or procuring electronic and information technology. The California State University shall, however, in determining the cost of developing or procuring electronic or information technology, consider whether technology that meets the standards applicable pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) will reduce the long-term cost incurred by the California State University in providing access or accommodations to future users of this technology who are persons with disabilities, as required by existing law, including this section, Title II of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 and following), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794).
  (d) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that the ability to utilize electronic or information technology is often an essential function for successful employment in the current work world.
  (2) In order to improve accessibility of existing technology, and therefore increase the successful employment of individuals with disabilities, particularly blind and visually impaired and deaf and hard-of-hearing persons, state governmental entities, in developing, procuring, maintaining, or using electronic or information technology, either indirectly or through the use of state funds by other entities, shall comply with the accessibility requirements of Section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794d), and regulations implementing that act as set forth in Part 1194 of Title 36 of the Federal Code of Regulations.
  (3) Any entity that contracts with a state or local entity subject to this section for the provision of electronic or information technology or for the provision of related services shall agree to respond to, and resolve any complaint regarding accessibility of its products or services that is brought to the attention of the entity.
  (e) As used in this section, "sex" and "sexual orientation" have the same meanings as those terms are defined in subdivisions (q) and (r) of Section 12926.
  (f) As used in this section, "race, national origin, ethnic group identification, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, color, or disability" includes a perception that a person has any of those characteristics or that the person is associated with a person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those characteristics.
  (g) As used in this section, "genetic information" has the same definition as in paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) of Section 51 of the Civil Code.
Whenever a state agency that administers a program or activity that is funded directly by the state or receives any financial assistance from the state, has reasonable cause to believe that a contractor, grantee, or local agency has violated the provisions of Section 11135, or any regulation adopted to implement such section, the head of the state agency shall notify the contractor, grantee, or local agency of such violation and shall, after considering all relevant evidence, determine whether there is probable cause to believe that a violation of the provisions of Section 11135, or any regulation adopted to implement such section, has occurred. In the event that it is determined that there is probable cause to believe that the provisions of Section 11135, or any regulation adopted to implement such section, have been violated, the head of the state agency shall cause to be instituted a hearing conducted pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of this part to determine whether a violation has occurred.
If it is determined that a contractor, grantee, or local agency has violated the provisions of this article, the state agency that administers the program or activity involved shall take action to curtail state funding in whole or in part to such contractor, grantee, or local agency.
Each state agency that administers a program or activity that is funded directly by the state or receives any financial assistance from the state and that enters into contracts for the performance of services to be provided to the public in an aggregate amount in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per year shall, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11371) of this part, adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the purpose and provisions of this article.
The prohibitions and sanctions imposed by this article are in addition to any other prohibitions and sanctions imposed by law. This article shall not be interpreted in a manner that would frustrate its purpose. This article shall not be interpreted in a manner that would adversely affect lawful programs which benefit the disabled, the aged, minorities, and women. This article and regulations adopted pursuant to this article may be enforced by a civil action for equitable relief, which shall be independent of any other rights and remedies.
(a) It is the policy of this state and the purpose of this section to facilitate and support the development and operation of housing for homeless youth.
  (b) The provision of housing for homeless youth is hereby authorized and shall not be considered unlawful age discrimination, notwithstanding any other provision of law, including, but not limited to, Sections 51, 51.2, and 51.10 of the Civil Code, Sections 11135, 12920, and 12955 of this code, Chapter 11.5 (commencing with Section 50800) of Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code, and local housing or age discrimination ordinances.
  (c) This section shall not be construed to permit discrimination against families with children.
  (d) This section shall occupy the field of regulation of housing for homeless youth by any local public entity, including, but not limited to, a city, county, and city and county.
  (e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
  (1) "At risk of becoming homeless" means facing eviction or termination of one's current housing situation.
  (2) "Homeless youth" means either of the following:
  (A) A person who is not older than 24 years of age, and meets one of the following conditions:
  (i) Is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
  (ii) Is no longer eligible for foster care on the basis of age.
  (iii) Has run away from home.
  (B) A person who is less than 18 years of age who is emancipated pursuant to Part 6 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 1 of the Family Code and who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
  (3) "Housing for homeless youth" means emergency, transitional, or permanent housing tied to supportive services that assist homeless youth in stabilizing their lives and developing the skills and resources they need to make a successful transition to independent, self-sufficient adulthood.
The Secretary of California Health and Human Services, with the advice and concurrence of the Fair Employment and Housing Council of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, shall establish standards for determining which persons are protected by this article and standards for determining what practices are discriminatory. The secretary, with the cooperation of the Fair Employment and Housing Council of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, shall assist state agencies in coordinating their programs and activities and shall consult with such agencies, as necessary, so that consistent policies, practices, and procedures are adopted with respect to the enforcement of the provisions of the article.
(a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that subdivision (a) of Section 31 of Article I of the California Constitution prohibits state and local government agencies from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, and public contracting. The Legislature finds that this prohibition does not prevent governmental agencies from engaging in inclusive public sector outreach and recruitment programs that, as a component of general recruitment, may include, but not be limited to, focused outreach and recruitment of minority groups and women if any group is underrepresented in entry level positions of a public sector employer.
  (2) The Legislature also finds and declares that increasing the number of businesses that participate in the bidding process in public contracting results in more vigorous competition, and thus assists state and local agencies in obtaining the desired quality of work at a lower cost.
  (3) It is the intent of this section that all governmental agencies shall engage in general recruitment and outreach programs to all individuals, including persons who are economically disadvantaged.
  (b) For purposes of this section, underrepresentation shall be determined by comparing the minority group or the number of women at the governmental agency with that group's representation in the current civilian labor force in the jurisdiction of the governmental agency.
  (c) State government employment shall use current state civilian labor force data to implement this section.
  (d) It is the intent of this section to allow public sector employers to conduct outreach efforts with a goal of supplementing word-of-mouth recruitment that should result in increasing diversity of the public sector workforce.
  (e) The type of recruitment activities allowed would include, but not be limited to, placement of job announcements in the following media instruments:
  (1) General circulation newspapers, general circulation publications, and general market radio and television stations, including electronic media.
  (2) Local and regional community newspapers.
  (3) Newspapers, publications, and radio and television stations that provide information in languages other than English and whose primary audience is residents of minority and low-income communities.
  (4) Publications, including electronic media, that are distributed to the general market and to newspapers, publications, and radio and television stations whose primary audience is comprised of minority groups or women.
  (5) Recruitment booths at job fairs or conferences oriented to both the general market and the economically disadvantaged as well as those events drawing a significant participation by minorities or women.
(a) The Governor's Task Force on Diversity and Outreach, in its August 1, 2000, report, concluded that data on minority business participation is not currently available, and that lack of useful data on minority business participation in state contracting is an overarching issue to be addressed.
  (b) In contracting for and procuring goods, services, information technology, construction, architecture, and engineering consulting, and other consulting services, state and local departments and agencies are authorized to engage in focused outreach activities in addition to general outreach, for purposes of increasing participation by California's small business sector and increasing diversity in the state's contracting and procurement activities.
  (c) Outreach activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:
  (1) Invitations to bid distributed by state and local departments and agencies to state and local small business and trade associations and chambers of commerce, including ethnic chambers of commerce, and other business and professional associations, including professional minority, women, and disabled veteran-owned business and professional groups and associations, as appropriate.
  (2) Publication of advertising concerning state and local contracting and procurement opportunities in trade papers and other publications focusing on small business enterprises, including publications and newspapers in languages other than English and those whose primary readership is minority, women, or disabled veteran-owned businesses.
  (3) Outreach by small business advocates in each state or local government department or agency to state and local small business and trade associations and chambers of commerce, including ethnic chambers of commerce, and other business and professional associations, including professional minority, women, and disabled veteran-owned business and professional groups and associations, as appropriate.