SALINAS CALIFORNIAN

Laird's anti-discrimination bill signed into law

October 12, 2007

A wide-ranging group of Californians who need state licenses for their jobs, from doctors to real estate agents, will get uniform, and often, broader civil rights protections, thanks to a bill signed into law Friday.

Assembly Bill 14 by Assemblyman John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, extends the broadest protection against discrimination in any state rule to statutes covering such diverse areas as credit card providers, government contractors, state park concessionaires, horse tracks and anyone claiming tax deductions for private club memberships.

The measure is the fourth in a series of bills by Laird since 2002 to establish uniform nondiscrimination rules tied to the broadest protections on the books.

"No person should be denied access to state programs or be treated unfairly by businesses operation in California," Laird said in a prepared statement.

AB 14 targets 51 provisions of state law, according to a legislative analysis. The bill deals with such diverse areas as juries, emergency services, public beaches and college financial aid.

It takes effect Jan. 1.