The California Senate on Thursday, May 11, voted to pass legislation that would ban caste discrimination in the state. The vote passed with a 34-1 majority and would make California the first state to include caste as a category in its anti-discrimination laws. Bill SB 403 was introduced by California Senator Alisha Wahab and added caste as a category to the already existing law, the Unruh Civil Rights Act. This Act says that every citizen in California is entitled to equal accommodation, advantages, privileges, and services in all business establishments.
SB 403 provides protection to those who have been systemically affected by caste bias and prejudice. The bill also prescribes firm legal action against those who permit or participate in caste discrimination and caste-based violence. This bill comes weeks after the California Senate Judiciary Committee passed SB 403 unanimously in April. The Seattle City Council also passed legislation banning caste discrimination early this year. Apart from that, resolutions were passed by the California Democratic Party, the California State University System, and tech giants like Apple and Cisco to designate caste as a protected category.
According to reports, Seattle Council member Kshama Sawant, who was instrumental in passing the anti-caste discrimination law in her state city council, said that she welcomed the passage of SB 403 by the California State Senate. She said, “Following our historic victory in Seattle in February, the California Senate has voted in favour of banning caste discrimination.”
History is made today as California bans #CasteDiscrimination. #SB403
— Santosh Dass (@SantoshDass1048) May 11, 2023
Congratulations and thank you @aishabbwahab @dalitdiva and all involved. #BrickbyBrick we will #Annihilate #Caste. @EHRC @EHRCChair @EHRCScotland @guardian @ACDAnews @DSNUK @DhandaMeena pic.twitter.com/NJiWpKOvJS
Equality Labs, a Dalit rights organisation, issued a statement welcoming the bill. “The bill arises as a remedy for the longstanding historical oppression of caste-oppressed communities in the state and around the world. While caste discrimination is commonplace in South Asia and other parts of the world, it also exists in the United States,” the statement said.
Thenmozhi Soundararajan, author and Executive Director of Equality Labs, said that the bill was a result of years of Dalit feminist organising. She said, “We are just getting started in making the state safe for our entire caste-oppressed community. We know that we have a long journey ahead of us with this bill, but we have made history with this vote and are proud to look forward to working with the California Assembly on this historic bill.”