LOS ANGELES — BuildOUT California announced that the California Public Utilities (CPUC) yesterday, by unanimous vote, approved a historic measure that will set an aspirational goal of 1.5% for the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender certified businesses in the competitive contracting process with California-based utilities like AT&T, PG&E and Southern California Edison Company.This development will be an update to the CPUC’s Utility Supplier Diversity Program, known as General Order 156, which was created by a 1983 law (Assembly Bill 3638), under the leadership of late Assemblywoman Gwen Moore.
Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang:
“Society’s acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community continues to increase and California continues to be an important leader in this progress. The 1.5% goal, which will put LGBTQ+ businesses on equal footing with others in the program will tear down the walls impeding progress, and moves us one step closer to more inclusivity. Equality California applauds the work and advocacy from BuildOut California who has been working tirelessly since the roots of this historic development. We look forward to the development and victories for the LGBTQ+ community that will come from this decision”
“Society’s acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community continues to increase and California continues to be an important leader in this progress. The 1.5% goal, which will put LGBTQ+ businesses on equal footing with others in the program will tear down the walls impeding progress, and moves us one step closer to more inclusivity.
Equality California applauds the work and advocacy from BuildOut California who has been working tirelessly since the roots of this historic development. We look forward to the development and victories for the LGBTQ+ community that will come from this decision”
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
