CHAPTER 3.1. Commission on the Status of Women and Girls [8240. - 8250.1.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 3.1.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8240. Section 8240.

The Legislature finds and declares that despite the fact that women apparently have greater equality in California than in many states, they still are not able to contribute to society according to their full potential. With a view to developing recommendations which will enable women to make the maximum contribution to society, the Legislature has created the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8241. Section 8241.

(a) There is in the state government the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. The commission shall consist of 17 members to be appointed as follows: (1) Three Members of the Senate and one public member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. (2) Three Members of the Assembly and one public member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. (3) One public member appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. (4) The Labor Commissioner. (5) (A) Seven public members appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Senate. (B) One of these public members shall be a veteran or a member of the military. (b) The Members of the Legislature shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing powers. (c) Public member appointees of the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Committee on Rules, and appointees of the Governor shall serve four-year terms. All persons appointed pursuant to Section 2 of Chapter 1378 of the Statutes of 1965, as amended by Chapter 382 of the Statutes of 1973, shall continue in office until the expiration of their term and the appointment of their successors. The appointing powers may reappoint a member whose term has expired, and shall immediately fill any vacancy for the unexpired portion of the term in which it occurs. The appointing powers shall, in making appointments of public members to the commission, make every effort to ensure that there is a geographic balance of representation on the commission. (d) All appointees shall hold office until the appointment of their successors.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8242. Section 8242.

(a) Public members of the commission shall receive one hundred dollars ($100) per diem while on official business of the commission, not to exceed 12 days per year. Each member of the commission shall also be entitled to receive his or her actual necessary traveling expenses while on official business of the commission. (b) The commission shall select annually from its membership, a chairperson and vice chairperson.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8243. Section 8243.

All meetings of the commission shall be open and public and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meetings of the commission.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8244. Section 8244.

The commission shall have the powers and authority necessary to carry out the duties imposed upon it by this chapter, including, but not limited to, the following: (a) To employ such administrative, technical and other personnel as may be necessary for the performance of its powers and duties. (b) To hold hearings, make and sign any agreements and to do or perform any acts which may be necessary, desirable, or proper to carry out the purposes of this chapter. (c) To cooperate with, and secure the cooperation of, any department, division, board, bureau, commission, or other agency of the state to facilitate it properly to carry out its powers and duties hereunder. (d) To appoint advisers or advisory committees from time to time when the commission determines that the experience or expertise of such advisers or advisory committees is needed for projects of the commission. Section 11009 is applicable to advisers or advisory committees. (e) To accept any federal funds granted, by act of Congress or by executive order, for all or any of the purposes of this chapter. (f) (1) To accept any gifts, donations, grants, or bequests for all or any of the purposes of this chapter, and to conduct fundraising activities which may require a payment or purchase to attend. (2) Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 shall not apply to the commission at a fundraising event held or organized by the commission, provided that a majority of members do not discuss among themselves any item of business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the commission. (3) Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 shall not apply to any meetings conducted solely for purposes of raising funds for the Women and Girls Fund, provided that no other item of business that is within the subject matter of the commission is discussed, deliberated, or acted upon.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8245. Section 8245.

(a) The commission shall study the following policy areas, including, but not limited to, for the purpose of examining any laws, practices, or conditions concerning or affecting women and girls which impose special limitations or burdens upon them or upon society, or which limit or tend to limit opportunities available to women and girls: (1) Gender equity in the media. (2) Educational needs of women and girls. (3) Gender in the workplace and employment. (4) Health and safety of women and girls. (5) Women in the military, women veterans, and military families. (6) State laws in regard to the civil and political rights of women, including pensions, tax requirements, property rights, marriage and dissolution of marriage provisions, and similar matters. (7) The effect of social attitudes and pressures and economic considerations in shaping the roles to be assumed by women in the society. (b) The commission shall act as an information center on issues that affect the lives of women and girls. (c) The commission shall recommend, develop, prepare, or coordinate materials, projects, or other activities, and shall give technical and consultative advice to public or private groups or persons concerned with any of the following: (1) Preventing or minimizing problems brought about by the changing roles and responsibilities of women. (2) Developing programs to encourage and enable women to be fully contributing members of society. (d) The commission shall develop a strategy to attract financial support from private donors in order to reduce the commission’s dependence on state funding. (e) A prime function of the commission shall be to encourage women’s and girls’ organizations and other groups to institute local self-help activities designed to meet women’s educational, employment, and related needs. The commission shall make reports on its activities, findings, and recommendations to the Legislature from time to time, but not less often than every odd-numbered year.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8246. Section 8246.

(a) The commission is expressly authorized to inform the Legislature of its position on any legislative proposal pending before the Legislature and to urge the introduction of legislative proposals. (b) The commission is expressly authorized to state its position and viewpoint on issues developed in the performance of its duties and responsibilities as specified in this chapter. (c) This section is declaratory of existing law.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8247. Section 8247.

It is hereby declared to be the public policy of the state to attempt to achieve an equitable relationship between the comparability of the value of work performed by persons in state service and the compensation and classification plans within the state system. To further this end, a bias-free job evaluation system needs to be developed for all jobs in state service, across job families to rank jobs in order, to set salaries, and to create career ladders for advancement according to the value of the work performed. It is the intent of the Legislature that the provisions of Section 8248 shall not be self-executing and that the findings of the commission shall not be implemented unless further legislation specifically authorizes that these findings be implemented in whole or in part.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8248. Section 8248.

The commission shall do all of the following: (a) Evaluate the compensation and classification plans for state civil service and related employees and the employees of the University of California, the college named in Section 92200 of the Education Code, and the California State University conferred under the Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act on the basis of objective, job-related criteria in order to advise the Legislature of the explicit worth or value of those services and positions. (b) Determine where compensation and classification inequities exist based on comparability of the value of work, giving primary consideration to identifying and correcting inequities between female dominated and male dominated classes of employees in state service. (c) Report, by January 1, 2003, to the Legislature and to the parties meeting and conferring pursuant to Sections 3517 and 3570 all findings as may be required in order to implement the principles of equitable compensation and classification based on comparability of value of work as part of the state compensation and classification plans and negotiated agreements, including, but not limited to, factor values, comparative job ratings, gender makeup of all job classifications, present salary structures, policy recommendations, and annual cost estimates for the implementation of an equitable compensation program. (d) This section shall not be implemented unless and until funds are appropriated by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8249. Section 8249.

With respect to its duties under Section 8248, the commission shall be an advisory commission only, and there shall be no right or obligation on the part of the state, or the parties meeting and conferring, to implement the findings of the commission without further legislation that specifically authorizes that the evaluations, determinations, and findings of the commission be implemented.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8250. Section 8250.

(a) The commission shall hire staff or contract for those experts or technical and professional services as may be required for the completion of the study required by Section 8248. Staff hired pursuant to this section shall be hired in compliance with the State Civil Service Act (Part 2 (commencing with Section 18500) of Division 5 of Title 2). Contracts awarded pursuant to this section shall be in compliance with Section 19130. (b) This section shall not be implemented unless and until funds are appropriated by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8250.1. Section 8250.1.

The Women and Girls Fund is hereby created as a fund in the State Treasury to carry out this chapter in support of the commission upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act. Subject to the approval of the Department of Finance, all moneys collected or received by the commission from gifts, bequests, or donations shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the Women and Girls Fund, in accordance with the terms of the gift or donation from which the moneys are derived and in accordance with Sections 8647, 11005, 11005.1, and 16302 of the Government Code. Upon the approval and the establishment of the Women and Girls Fund, any funds deposited and remaining in the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls Fund special deposit fund for the purposes of supporting the activities of the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls shall be transferred to the Women and Girls Fund.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026