Charitable foundations and nonprofits across the nation are aligning themselves against AB 624 (Coto). The Orwellian measure would require all private, corporate or public operating foundations and nonprofits, with assets over $250 million, to collect gender, ethnic and sexual orientation data on their board, members, staff and grant recipients. Yes, you read correctly: sexual orientation.
So if you’re looking to receive a grant from a California-based nonprofit, be prepared for that awkward questionnaire: Do you perceive yourself as male or female? Which ethnic prefix best describes you as an American (i.e., African-, Asian-, etc.)? And what is the perceived gender of the person with whom you are now sleeping?
You can see why philanthropic organization may decide to relocate out of our politically-correct, regulatory-friendly state.
As Pacific Research Institute’s Lloyd Billingsley points out, AB 624 is an attempt to undermine Proposition 209, the historic measure that ended discriminatory affirmative action programs for state contracts, employment and education. Leave it to the liberals to find another way to mandate their “diversity” schemes.
Since the bill’s amendment in late January, several foundations and nonprofits from across the nation have contacted CRFI, inquiring about how they can stop this bill from creating an Orwellian precedent for the rest of the country.
California is already garnering the unwelcome reputation of an anti-business state. Now it’s working on driving out the charitable organizations that would do a much better job than the government of helping individuals.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:00 am
As the leader of just such a PAC, on a local level, I want to thank you for alerting us to this bill. The folks at our State PAC are probably already aware of this proposed bill but I have none the less sent your comments on to them.