Bill Requires Foundations To Reveal Diversity Data

AB 624, the Foundation Diversity and Transparency Act, is a controversial bill authored by California Assemblyman Joe Coto, which would require private, corporate, or public operating foundations with assets over $250 million to collect certain ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation data pertaining to its governance, staff, and grant making. The bill requires this information to include the racial, gender, and sexual-orientation composition of the board of directors or trustees, foundation staff, and the number of grants awarded to specified organizations serving ethnic minority, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. In addition, AB 624 would require these foundations to disclose this information on their websites and in their annual reports. The bill is coming before the Business, Professions & Economic Development Committee today in the California Assembly. Larry speaks with Orson Aguilar, Associate Director of the Greenlining Institute, and David A. Lehrer, President of Community Advocates Inc.