Also see https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-09-29/new-cali...

The article hints at the rationale:

> “This is a big moment for California workers, especially women and people of color who have long been impacted by systemic inequities that have left them earning far less than their colleagues,” Sen. Monique Limón (D-Goleta), the bill’s author, said in a statement Tuesday. “As we continue to build a sustainable economy, we must ensure every worker is paid equitably.”

Not sure exactly how it benefits those groups specifically and not all workers.