California Assembly passes anti-caste discrimination bill

CA Assembly passes bill to combat caste discrimination, strengthen protections for marginalised communities. Bill seeks to add caste as a protected category under “ancestry” in Unruh Civil Rights Act, Education, and Housing codes.

An anti-caste discrimination bill has been passed by the California State Assembly that seeks to combat caste discrimination and strengthen protections for marginalised communities across the state.

The bill was passed by the Assembly on August 28. It now heads to Governor Gavin Newsom for his signature to make it into law, making California the first U.S. state to add caste as a protected category in its anti-discrimination laws.

The bill passed by the California Assembly seeks to combat caste discrimination and strengthen protections for marginalised communities across the state. It was first introduced by State Senator Aisha Wahab and was supported by several caste equity civil rights activists and organisations from across the country.

“Thank you to all the Assembly members who voted in support of SB 403 today. We are protecting people from a long-standing form of discrimination with SB 403,” Ms. Wahab said in a tweet.

A coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) described it as a black day in California history.

The legislation will revise California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, Education, and Housing codes by adding caste as a protected category under “ancestry”. Since its introduction earlier this year, the bill has flown through the different steps in the legislature, achieving a largely bipartisan consensus across multiple labour and civil rights entities.

“The Assembly Vote is a win for the ages. After conducting over 700 advocacy meetings across the entire state of California the people have spoken resoundingly for caste equity protections. As a Californian who has endured caste my whole life I know the struggles and adversity caste-oppressed Californians have unjustly faced firsthand,” said Thenmozhi Soundararajan, executive director of Equality Labs.