California-Certified Gay Government Procurement Program Challenged on Legal Grounds
California’s utility regulator uses procurement goals, certification programs, and reporting requirements to steer contracts toward LGBT-owned businesses, raising questions about whether the program conflicts with California constitutional protections against preferential treatment and recent court rulings against identity-based quotas. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) runs a procurement preference program for businesses owned by lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals, operating under General Order 156.