Judiciary: demographic data.

(1) Existing law requires the Governor, the designated agency of the State Bar responsible for the evaluation of judicial candidates, and the Administrative Office of the Courts to annually collect demographic data relating to judicial applicants, judicial appointees or nominees, judicial candidates, and justices and judges, as specified, relative to ethnicity, race, and gender. These entities are required to release the demographic data on or before March 1 of each year. This bill would expand these provisions to include the collection and release of demographic data relative to gender identity and sexual orientation. This bill would require a departing Governor to provide the demographic data collected for the year to the incoming Governor, as specified. The bill would require the incoming Governor to release the provided demographic data, as prescribed. The bill would require any demographic data disclosed or released pursuant to these provisions to indicate the percentage of respondents who declined to respond. This bill would also make technical changes. (2) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 12011.5 of the Government Code proposed by AB 126, that would become operative only if AB 126 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2012, and this bill is chaptered last.