Aisha Wahab’s bill could make California the 1ST STATE IN THE U.S. to officially ban caste discrimination. Sen. Aisha Wahab (D-CA) first introduced SB 403 to the California Senate on March 22. In a statement in May, after the bill received a vote of 34-1, Wahab explained that “this bill is about workers’ rights, women’s rights, and civil rights. This bill is about ensuring the American Dream is accessible to all those who pursue it.” SB 403 aims to add caste as a protected category under California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act and fair housing and employment laws. In a statement on Monday, Wahab, who is the first Muslim and Afghan American elected to the state legislature, thanked those who supported and voted for the bill, including “the numerous civil rights organizations, legal organizations, and bar associations across the state and nation.” Wahab’s SB 403 reportedly saw strong opposition throughout its process, including those who sought to remove the word “caste” from the bill, ...