Cal. Civ. Code § 213.030

1. The powers and duties of the commission shall be:

(1) To seek to eliminate and prevent discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age as it relates to employment, disability, or familial status as it relates to housing and to take other actions against discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, disability, or familial status as provided by law; and the commission is hereby given general jurisdiction and power for such purposes;

(2) To implement the purposes of this chapter first by conference, conciliation and persuasion so that persons may be guaranteed their civil rights and goodwill be fostered;

(3) To formulate policies to implement the purposes of this chapter and to make recommendations to agencies and officers of the state and political subdivisions in aid of such policies and purposes;

(4) To appoint such employees as it may deem necessary, fix their compensation within the appropriations provided and in accordance with the wage structure established for other state agencies, and prescribe their duties;

(5) To obtain upon request and utilize the services of all governmental departments and agencies to be paid from appropriations to this commission;

(6) To adopt, promulgate, amend, and rescind suitable rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this chapter and the policies and practices of the commission in connection therewith;

(7) To receive, investigate, initiate, and pass upon complaints alleging discrimination in employment, housing or in places of public accommodations because of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age as it relates to employment, disability, or familial status as it relates to housing and to require the production for examination of any books, papers, records, or other materials relating to any matter under investigation;

(8) To hold hearings, subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, administer oaths, to take the testimony of any person under oath, and, in connection therewith, to require the production for examination of any books, papers or other materials relating to any matter under investigation or in question before the commission;

(9) To issue publications and the results of studies and research which will tend to promote goodwill and minimize or eliminate discrimination in housing, employment or in places of public accommodation because of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age as it relates to employment, disability, or familial status as it relates to housing;

(10) To provide each year to the governor and to the general assembly a full written report of all its activities and of its recommendations;

(11) To adopt an official seal;

(12) To cooperate, act jointly, enter into cooperative or work-sharing agreements with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other federal agencies and local commissions or agencies to achieve the purposes of this chapter;

(13) To accept grants, private gifts, bequests, and establish funds to dispose of such moneys so long as the conditions of the grant, gift, or bequest are not inconsistent with the purposes of this chapter and are used to achieve the purposes of this chapter;

(14) To establish a human rights fund as defined in section 213.010, for the purposes of administering sections 213.040, 213.045, 213.050, 213.070, 213.075, and 213.076.

2. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated under the authority of this chapter shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of section 536.024.