CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 449Introduced by Assembly Member JacksonFebruary 06, 2025An act to add Section 12931.5 to the Government Code, relating to civil rights. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 449, as introduced, Jackson. Civil Rights Department: antidiscrimination campaigns.Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, establishes the Civil Rights Department within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and sets forth its powers and duties relating to enforcement of civil rights laws and assistance to communities in resolving disputes, disagreements, or difficulties relating to discriminatory practices.This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature and commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation, would require the department to create and distribute statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns for the purposes of discouraging discrimination. The bill would require the department to convene a working group to develop a plan to implement the campaigns above. The bill would exempt the working group from the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 12931.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:12931.5. (a) Commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation described in subdivision (d), the department shall create and implement statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns to discourage discrimination based upon, but not limited to, disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.(b) (1) The department shall convene a working group to develop a plan to implement this section, the members of which shall be appointed as follows:(A) Nine members appointed by the director of the department with expertise in the field of marketing and messaging, specifically on topics germane to this section, who shall reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the state.(B) One member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.(C) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President pro Tempore of the Senate.(2) The working group described in this subdivision is not subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1).(c) The percentage of advertisements focused on combating hate violence against a specific community with a common protected characteristic that are created and distributed shall be based on the rate of hate crimes committed against each community with a common protected characteristic as determined by the most recent Hate Crime in California report released by the Attorney General or other reliable and more accurate data on hate violence.(d) This section shall not become operative until funding and positions are appropriated by the Legislature in the Budget Act or any other measure for the purposes of this section. The department shall send notice of the appropriation to the Secretary of State, the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, and the Legislative Counsel Bureau.SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that Section 1 of this act, which adds Section 12931.5 to the Government Code, imposes a limitation on the publics right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:In order to ensure diverse and expert input in the creation of antidiscrimination media campaigns, it is necessary to reduce the administrative burden on the working group created by this act.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 449Introduced by Assembly Member JacksonFebruary 06, 2025An act to add Section 12931.5 to the Government Code, relating to civil rights. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 449, as introduced, Jackson. Civil Rights Department: antidiscrimination campaigns.Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, establishes the Civil Rights Department within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and sets forth its powers and duties relating to enforcement of civil rights laws and assistance to communities in resolving disputes, disagreements, or difficulties relating to discriminatory practices.This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature and commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation, would require the department to create and distribute statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns for the purposes of discouraging discrimination. The bill would require the department to convene a working group to develop a plan to implement the campaigns above. The bill would exempt the working group from the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 449
Introduced by Assembly Member JacksonFebruary 06, 2025
Introduced by Assembly Member Jackson
February 06, 2025
An act to add Section 12931.5 to the Government Code, relating to civil rights.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 449, as introduced, Jackson. Civil Rights Department: antidiscrimination campaigns.
Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, establishes the Civil Rights Department within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and sets forth its powers and duties relating to enforcement of civil rights laws and assistance to communities in resolving disputes, disagreements, or difficulties relating to discriminatory practices.This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature and commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation, would require the department to create and distribute statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns for the purposes of discouraging discrimination. The bill would require the department to convene a working group to develop a plan to implement the campaigns above. The bill would exempt the working group from the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, establishes the Civil Rights Department within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and sets forth its powers and duties relating to enforcement of civil rights laws and assistance to communities in resolving disputes, disagreements, or difficulties relating to discriminatory practices.
This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature and commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation, would require the department to create and distribute statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns for the purposes of discouraging discrimination. The bill would require the department to convene a working group to develop a plan to implement the campaigns above. The bill would exempt the working group from the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.
This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 12931.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:12931.5. (a) Commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation described in subdivision (d), the department shall create and implement statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns to discourage discrimination based upon, but not limited to, disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.(b) (1) The department shall convene a working group to develop a plan to implement this section, the members of which shall be appointed as follows:(A) Nine members appointed by the director of the department with expertise in the field of marketing and messaging, specifically on topics germane to this section, who shall reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the state.(B) One member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.(C) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President pro Tempore of the Senate.(2) The working group described in this subdivision is not subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1).(c) The percentage of advertisements focused on combating hate violence against a specific community with a common protected characteristic that are created and distributed shall be based on the rate of hate crimes committed against each community with a common protected characteristic as determined by the most recent Hate Crime in California report released by the Attorney General or other reliable and more accurate data on hate violence.(d) This section shall not become operative until funding and positions are appropriated by the Legislature in the Budget Act or any other measure for the purposes of this section. The department shall send notice of the appropriation to the Secretary of State, the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, and the Legislative Counsel Bureau.SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that Section 1 of this act, which adds Section 12931.5 to the Government Code, imposes a limitation on the publics right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:In order to ensure diverse and expert input in the creation of antidiscrimination media campaigns, it is necessary to reduce the administrative burden on the working group created by this act.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 12931.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:12931.5. (a) Commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation described in subdivision (d), the department shall create and implement statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns to discourage discrimination based upon, but not limited to, disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.(b) (1) The department shall convene a working group to develop a plan to implement this section, the members of which shall be appointed as follows:(A) Nine members appointed by the director of the department with expertise in the field of marketing and messaging, specifically on topics germane to this section, who shall reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the state.(B) One member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.(C) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President pro Tempore of the Senate.(2) The working group described in this subdivision is not subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1).(c) The percentage of advertisements focused on combating hate violence against a specific community with a common protected characteristic that are created and distributed shall be based on the rate of hate crimes committed against each community with a common protected characteristic as determined by the most recent Hate Crime in California report released by the Attorney General or other reliable and more accurate data on hate violence.(d) This section shall not become operative until funding and positions are appropriated by the Legislature in the Budget Act or any other measure for the purposes of this section. The department shall send notice of the appropriation to the Secretary of State, the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, and the Legislative Counsel Bureau.
SECTION 1. Section 12931.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:
### SECTION 1.
12931.5. (a) Commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation described in subdivision (d), the department shall create and implement statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns to discourage discrimination based upon, but not limited to, disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.(b) (1) The department shall convene a working group to develop a plan to implement this section, the members of which shall be appointed as follows:(A) Nine members appointed by the director of the department with expertise in the field of marketing and messaging, specifically on topics germane to this section, who shall reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the state.(B) One member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.(C) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President pro Tempore of the Senate.(2) The working group described in this subdivision is not subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1).(c) The percentage of advertisements focused on combating hate violence against a specific community with a common protected characteristic that are created and distributed shall be based on the rate of hate crimes committed against each community with a common protected characteristic as determined by the most recent Hate Crime in California report released by the Attorney General or other reliable and more accurate data on hate violence.(d) This section shall not become operative until funding and positions are appropriated by the Legislature in the Budget Act or any other measure for the purposes of this section. The department shall send notice of the appropriation to the Secretary of State, the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, and the Legislative Counsel Bureau.
12931.5. (a) Commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation described in subdivision (d), the department shall create and implement statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns to discourage discrimination based upon, but not limited to, disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.(b) (1) The department shall convene a working group to develop a plan to implement this section, the members of which shall be appointed as follows:(A) Nine members appointed by the director of the department with expertise in the field of marketing and messaging, specifically on topics germane to this section, who shall reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the state.(B) One member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.(C) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President pro Tempore of the Senate.(2) The working group described in this subdivision is not subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1).(c) The percentage of advertisements focused on combating hate violence against a specific community with a common protected characteristic that are created and distributed shall be based on the rate of hate crimes committed against each community with a common protected characteristic as determined by the most recent Hate Crime in California report released by the Attorney General or other reliable and more accurate data on hate violence.(d) This section shall not become operative until funding and positions are appropriated by the Legislature in the Budget Act or any other measure for the purposes of this section. The department shall send notice of the appropriation to the Secretary of State, the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, and the Legislative Counsel Bureau.
12931.5. (a) Commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation described in subdivision (d), the department shall create and implement statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns to discourage discrimination based upon, but not limited to, disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.(b) (1) The department shall convene a working group to develop a plan to implement this section, the members of which shall be appointed as follows:(A) Nine members appointed by the director of the department with expertise in the field of marketing and messaging, specifically on topics germane to this section, who shall reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the state.(B) One member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.(C) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President pro Tempore of the Senate.(2) The working group described in this subdivision is not subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1).(c) The percentage of advertisements focused on combating hate violence against a specific community with a common protected characteristic that are created and distributed shall be based on the rate of hate crimes committed against each community with a common protected characteristic as determined by the most recent Hate Crime in California report released by the Attorney General or other reliable and more accurate data on hate violence.(d) This section shall not become operative until funding and positions are appropriated by the Legislature in the Budget Act or any other measure for the purposes of this section. The department shall send notice of the appropriation to the Secretary of State, the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, and the Legislative Counsel Bureau.
12931.5. (a) Commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation described in subdivision (d), the department shall create and implement statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns to discourage discrimination based upon, but not limited to, disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.
(b) (1) The department shall convene a working group to develop a plan to implement this section, the members of which shall be appointed as follows:
(A) Nine members appointed by the director of the department with expertise in the field of marketing and messaging, specifically on topics germane to this section, who shall reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the state.
(B) One member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(C) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President pro Tempore of the Senate.
(2) The working group described in this subdivision is not subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1).
(c) The percentage of advertisements focused on combating hate violence against a specific community with a common protected characteristic that are created and distributed shall be based on the rate of hate crimes committed against each community with a common protected characteristic as determined by the most recent Hate Crime in California report released by the Attorney General or other reliable and more accurate data on hate violence.
(d) This section shall not become operative until funding and positions are appropriated by the Legislature in the Budget Act or any other measure for the purposes of this section. The department shall send notice of the appropriation to the Secretary of State, the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, and the Legislative Counsel Bureau.
SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that Section 1 of this act, which adds Section 12931.5 to the Government Code, imposes a limitation on the publics right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:In order to ensure diverse and expert input in the creation of antidiscrimination media campaigns, it is necessary to reduce the administrative burden on the working group created by this act.
SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that Section 1 of this act, which adds Section 12931.5 to the Government Code, imposes a limitation on the publics right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:In order to ensure diverse and expert input in the creation of antidiscrimination media campaigns, it is necessary to reduce the administrative burden on the working group created by this act.
SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that Section 1 of this act, which adds Section 12931.5 to the Government Code, imposes a limitation on the publics right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:
### SEC. 2.
In order to ensure diverse and expert input in the creation of antidiscrimination media campaigns, it is necessary to reduce the administrative burden on the working group created by this act.