Sunday, October 08, 2023

California Governor Vetoes Bill Explicitly Barring Caste Discrimination

Yesterday, California Governor Gavin Newsome vetoed Senate Bill 403 (veto message). The bill would have explicitly outlawed discrimination on the basis of caste. The Governor's message said that caste discrimination is already prohibited by current law that bars discrimination, among other things, on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry and national origin. As reported by Reuters, opponents of the bill contend that it broadly paints the Hindu and South Asian communities as being discriminatory.