California Governor Vetoes First U.S. Bill to Ban Caste Discrimination

California governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill passed by the state legislature to ban caste discrimination, saying existing laws already prohibit ancestry discrimination.

The bill would have made California the first U.S. state to explicitly ban caste discrimination.

The bill defined caste as "an individual’s perceived position in a system of social stratification on the basis of inherited status."

Opponents said U.S. laws already ban ancestry discrimination so the legislation was meaningless and stigmatized the Hindu/South Asian community.

Prior to the veto, the movement to fight caste discrimination gained momentum, with Seattle and Fresno banning it and Toronto recognizing it.