BILL ANALYSIS AB 2900 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 5, 2004 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Judy Chu, Chair AB 2900 (Laird) - As Amended: April 1, 2004 Policy Committee: Labor and Employment Vote: 6-2 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill amends various antidiscrimination provisions of current law to bring them into conformity with the bases and protected classes used in the nondiscrimination provisions of the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). The principal effect of this bill is to extend the antidiscrimination provisions of FEHA regarding disability and sexual orientation to various provisions of the Education Code, Government Code, Labor Code, Military and Veterans Code, Public Utilities Code, Unemployment Insurance Code, and Welfare and Institutions Code concerning employment and contracting practices. FISCAL EFFECT 1)Minor enforcement costs to state agencies, less than $100,000 annually. 2)Minor local law enforcement costs; not state-reimbursable. COMMENTS 1)Background . FEHA prohibits employment and housing discrimination based on race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age or sexual orientation. Individuals who identify with these bases of discrimination are referred to as "protected classes". Various other sections of state law relating to employment and contracting, however, prohibit discrimination according to different bases and protected classes. For instance, the provision in state law prohibiting discrimination against AB 2900 Page 2 physicians in medical staff membership and clinical privileges with hospitals that contract with the Medi-Cal program only covers "sex, race, creed and national origin" (Welfare and Institutions Code 11322.62). The FEHA list of bases and protected classes is more expansive. 2)Purpose . The author introduced this bill to provide a single antidiscrimination standard in state law to extend protections to many Californians and address confusion over compliance with statutes prohibiting discrimination. This bill eliminates, in specified sections of law, the current bases of discrimination and protected classes and instead applies the FEHA standard. Analysis Prepared by : Stephen Shea / APPR. / (916) 319-2081