California lawmakers vote to become first state to ban caste-based discrimination
California lawmakers on Tuesday voted to outlaw discrimination based on caste, adding protections for people of South Asian descent who say they have been left out of traditional American safeguards for fairness in employment and housing. The bill — the first of its kind in the U.S. — now heads to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who must decide whether to sign it into law. Newsom’s office did not respond to a request for comment about the bill. Caste is an ancient, complex system that regulates people’s social status based on their birth. It’s primarily associated with