california-assembly-passes-anti-caste-discrimination-bill

California inched closer to becoming the first US state to ban caste discrimination after a bill to ban the practice passed in the state assembly  Soon after the passage of the bill by the California State Assembly on Tuesday, some of its supporters went on a hunger strike demanding Governor Gavin Newsom to sign it into law as soon as possible.  If signed into law, California would become the first State in the United States and the first jurisdiction outside India to outlaw discrimination based on caste.  Seattle earlier this year became the first US city to outlaw caste discrimination.  Completing procedural formalities, the California Senate overwhelmingly passed SB403 Discrimination on the basis of ancestry with 31-5 votes on Tuesday.  The landmark anti-caste discrimination bill will now go to Governor Newsom's desk where he will decide whether to sign the bill into law. The legislation revises California's Unruh Civil Rights Act by adding caste as a