Notwithstanding Section 19704, the Department of Human Resources may, after public hearing, adopt a system in which applicants for employment in the state civil service shall be asked to provide, voluntarily, ethnic data about themselves where such data is determined by the department to be necessary to an assessment of the ethnic and sex fairness of the selection process and to the planning and monitoring of affirmative action efforts. The department shall provide by rule for safeguards to insure that such data shall not be used in a discriminatory manner in the selection process. Ethnic data may be compiled for women and minorities. Ethnic data information gathered pursuant to this section on an individual applicant shall not be available to any interviewer or any
officer or employee empowered to make or influence the civil service appointment of such individual. The department shall report annually to the Governor and the Legislature on the results of the selection process as determined by data gathered under this section.