California businesses have to go through a “gay-certification” process to receive special contracts meant for gay-owned companies, Christopher Rufo of City Journal reported Tuesday. If these business owners fail to sufficiently prove their claimed gayness, they may face up to a year in jail, while California’s vetting process for voters is practically nonexistent.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) sets regulations for private utility companies and now pressures them to hire contractors, such as engineering firms, infrastructure companies, and fuel suppliers, who are owned by individuals who identify as LGBT, Rufo reported. CPUC’s “Supplier Diversity Program” works to “include diverse firms” in the organizations that receive utility company contracts. Former Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation in 2014 that expanded the definition of “diverse firms” to include businesses that are LGBT-owned, making them eligible for supplier-diversity benefits.
In order for businesses to receive these contracts, they must submit documentation that proves the qualifying owners’ LGBT status. Applicants can pick from a checklist of 13 options for how to prove their gay or transgender identity. Accepted documents include reference letters that can vouch for someone’s status as LGBT, joint living agreements that include a same-sex partner, or media coverage that states the person’s status as LGBT
Although California does its due diligence to ensure the gayness of contract recipients, the state does not enforce voter identification with anywhere near the same scrutiny. California is one of 12 states with no voter ID law currently on the books. Individuals without a government ID can show a gym membership, credit card, or utility bill as “proof” of identification.
Furthermore, the state’s governor is actively working to prevent localities from signing voter ID requirements into local law.