Policy

Newsom vetoes caste discrimination ban

The bill won adoption with large bipartisan majorities last month.
California state Sen. Aisha Wahab (D) introduced the legislation earlier this year. (AP Photo/José Luis Villegas, File)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Saturday vetoed legislation that would have extended protections against discrimination on the basis of caste, a bill that caused a divide between South Asian communities throughout the state.

In a veto message, Newsom said the measure — which would have added caste to the definition of ancestry under housing, anti-discrimination and education codes — was unnecessary.

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