California State Assembly Passes Anti-Caste Discrimination Bill, Amidst Both Support and Opposition
The California State Assembly has made significant strides toward combatting caste bias by passing an anti-caste discrimination bill with a decisive 50-3 majority. Sponsored by Senator Aisha Wahab, SB 403 amends the Unruh Civil Rights Act, an existing law, to include caste as a protected category, ensuring equal treatment in all business establishments. This landmark bill, passed on Monday, now awaits Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature, which would establish California as the first US state to incorporate caste into its anti-discrimination legislation.
Praising the Assembly members who supported the bill, Wahab emphasized its role in combatting a longstanding form of discrimination. Indian American lawmakers Jasmeet Bains and Ash Kalra also backed the legislation, following Seattle’s precedent in becoming the first city in the US to ban caste discrimination. Advocacy groups, such as the Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA), hailed this development as historic and unprecedented, representing the fruits of advocacy, agitation, and organization.
While supporters laud the move as a stand for civil rights, some Hindu groups express strong opposition, asserting that adding “caste” to the state’s nondiscrimination policy could inadvertently perpetuate Hinduphobia. Advocacy group Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) labeled the bill’s passage a “black day,” claiming it unfairly targets Hindu Americans.
