New Law Adds Gender Identity Protection in Public Contracts

On October 7, 2015, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 703, enacting section Public Contracts Code section 10295.35, which provides that state agencies "shall not enter into any contract for the acquisition of goods or services in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or more with a contractor that, in the provision of benefits, discriminates between employees on the basis of an employee’s or dependent’s actual or perceived gender identity, including, but not limited to, the employee’s or dependent’s identification as transgender."

Legislative Counsel's Digest is available here.