Discrimination.

The Unruh Civil Rights Act generally prohibits business establishments from discriminating on specified bases. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (act) prohibits discrimination in housing and employment on specified bases. Existing law establishes the Civil Rights Department (department) and prescribes its functions, duties, and powers, including to receive, investigate, conciliate, mediate, and prosecute complaints alleging employment discrimination pursuant to specified laws, including the Unruh Civil Rights Act and the act. Existing law specifies that while it is the intention of the Legislature that the act occupy the field of regulation of discrimination in employment and housing, the act does not limit or restrict the application of the Unruh Civil Rights Act. This bill would also specify that nothing in the act limits or restricts efforts by any city, city and county, county, or other political subdivision of the state to enforce local law prohibiting discrimination in employment against classes of persons covered by the act if certain requirements are met, including a requirement that local enforcement is pursuant to a local law that is at least as protective as the act. The bill would require the department to promulgate regulations governing local enforcement pursuant to those provisions.