Press Release - Contact: Sawait Hezchias (916) 319-2048

October 1, 2008 – “Governor Schwarzenegger’s signing AB 873 into law gives real meaning to his commitment to helping to grow small and minority firms in California,” Assemblyman Davis said. “I personally commend him and urge others in our community to join me in thanking him for support of this important legislation.”

• AB 873 will require each water corporation with gross revenues exceeding $25 million to annually submit a detailed and verifiable plan to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for increasing women, minority and disabled veteran-owned business enterprise procurement.

• AB 873 is necessary in order to increase diversity participation in water corporations as other major utilities have been able to accomplish.
• Since the PUC’s adoption of Government Order 156 in 1986, gas, telephone and electrical corporations have been providing plans for increasing participation of women, minority and disabled veteran-owned business enterprise.

“I want to commend the water corporations that have begun similar efforts of their own and want to work with them to expand their efforts. I also want to work with those African American and other minority business and community empowerment organizations that supported this legislation,” He said.

AB 873 was supported by: Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce, California Public Utilities Commission, Golden State Water Company, California Black Chamber of Commerce, and the California State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

“Governor Schwarzenegger has demonstrated leadership in signing this bill, which is necessary in order to increase diversity participation in water corporations as other major utilities have achieved,” Assemblyman Davis said.

Assemblyman Davis represents the 48th Assembly District which includes the Los Angeles County communities of Arlington Park, Athens, Koreatown, West Adams, Exposition Park and Wilshire Center.

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