(a) Any person or corporation, through its directors, officers, or agents, that falsely represents a business as a women, minority, or LGBT business enterprise in the procurement of, or the attempt to procure, contracts from an electrical corporation, gas corporation, water corporation, wireless telecommunications service provider, electric service provider, or telephone corporation with gross annual California revenues exceeding twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000), or a commission-regulated subsidiary or affiliate subject to this article, or from an electrical corporation, gas corporation, water corporation, wireless telecommunications service provider, electric service provider, and telephone corporation with gross annual California revenues exceeding fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000), but not more than twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000), shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year or in the state prison, or by both that fine and imprisonment. In the case of a corporation, the fine or imprisonment, or both, shall be imposed on every director, officer, or agent responsible for the false statements.
(b) Any person or corporation, through its directors, officers, or agents, that falsely represents a business as a disabled veteran business enterprise in the procurement of, or the attempt to procure, contracts from an electrical corporation, gas corporation, water corporation, wireless telecommunications service provider, electric service provider, or telephone corporation with gross annual California revenues exceeding twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000), or a commission-regulated subsidiary or affiliate subject to this article, or from an electrical corporation, gas corporation, water corporation, wireless telecommunications service provider, electric service provider, and telephone corporation with gross annual California revenues exceeding fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000), but not more than twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000), shall be punished according to the penalties established pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 999.9 of the Military and Veterans Code. In the case of a corporation, the fine or imprisonment, or both, shall be imposed on every director, officer, or agent responsible for the false statements.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 703, Sec. 7. (SB 599) Effective January 1, 2023.)