Caste legislation in the United States is still a short list: two city ordinances, one state bill that was vetoed, and one New York bill that stalled in June 2026. No federal legislation mentions caste. This tracker contains each state bill and city ordinance with its status and source. Last checked: October 19, 2026. Caste legislation is rapidly changing, and please check the source for the most up to date information. The information on this tracker is general and not legal advice.
The tracker
| Jurisdiction | What it is | Key dates | Status (as of Oct 19, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | City ordinance adding caste to anti-discrimination rules | Passed Feb 2023; effective Mar 25, 2023 | In force |
| Fresno, CA | City council vote adding caste and indigeneity as protected classes | Sept 28, 2023 | Passed; please verify current status |
| California | SB 403 adding caste to the definition of ancestry | Passed legislature Sept 2023; vetoed Oct 7, 2023 | Vetoed; no reintroduction found |
| New York | S6531 / A6920 adding caste to the Human Rights Law | Introduced 2025; session ended June 2026 | Did not advance in 2026 session |
| Universities | Brandeis, UC Davis, California State University, Brown, others | 2019 to 2023 | Policies in place; see our campus post |
| Federal | No law names caste | None | Title VII arguments only |
Seattle
Seattle was the first city in the U.S. to ban discrimination based on caste (Wikipedia, “Caste Discrimination in the United States”). The city council voted to pass the ordinance on February 21, 2023, with a vote of 6 to 1, and it took effect on March 25, 2023 (Epstein Becker Green, Workforce Bulletin; JD Supra, “An Emerging Protected Class”). It applies only to employers in Seattle (JD Supra).
Fresno caste ordinance
On September 28, 2023 the Fresno City Council unanimously voted to add both Caste and Indigeneity to the City’s Fair Housing and Public Accommodations (Littler, “California Governor Vetoes Bill Banning Caste Discrimination”). Members of the Sikh community along with the Oaxacan community of Fresno promoted this effort (Littler). I was unable to identify a source to verify its use, so check the City’s website to confirm the status.
California SB 403
In March 2023, California Senator Aisha Wahab introduced SB 403 to amend California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act to include “Caste” as a protected class (Wikipedia). The legislation defined “Caste” as an individual’s perceived position within a social hierarchy, based on birth (Wikipedia). The bill passed in the California State Senate 31-5, and the California State Assembly in September 2023, making California the first state in the U.S. to enact such legislation (Al Jazeera, September 2023). Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the bill on October 7, 2023, stating that existing laws already prohibit discrimination based on caste (Littler, NJ State Bar Foundation, “Caste Discrimination Comes to the U.S.”). I could not locate a reintroduction of the bill.
Separate actions have been taken by different California state agencies. In May 2022, the California Civil Rights Department added the example of Caste to its equal employment opportunity policy (Reuters, 2022). Our coverage of the veto goes into greater detail.
New York caste bill
New York S6531 (Sen. James Sanders Jr.) and A6920 (Assemblymember Steven Raga) would amend the New York State Human Rights Law to prohibit discrimination on the basis of an individual’s Caste in employment and in housing and public accommodations, respectively (NY State Senate, S6531; NEPYORK, April 2026). The bills were introduced in March 2025 (The Mooknayak). As of May 2026, they had approximately 10-11 Senate co-sponsors and 20-22 Assembly co-sponsors (The Mooknayak; Sprouts News). Zohran Mamdani had co-sponsored the bill in the Assembly before he became New York City Mayor (Prism Reports, May 2026).
The New York legislative session concluded in early June 2026, without passage of either bill (Hindu American Foundation, June 5, 2026; IndiaWest, June 2026). The bills, which were opposed by the Hindu American Foundation, were criticized for creating a system to legalize and institutionalize ethnic profiling (Samir Kalra, HAF). Supporters of the bills include a Dalit lawyer who filed New York’s first Caste discrimination charge in 2018, and argued the existing laws fail to address discrimination on the basis of Caste (Queens Ledger, May 2026). In 2020, the New York Division of Human Rights dismissed a Caste discrimination charge stating that as per the existing laws, Caste is not a protected class (Queens Ledger).
I was unable to find the status of the bills for the next legislative session.
Other states
According to the Hindu American Foundation, New York is the sixth state to have a bill introduced to add Caste as a distinct category, and no such bill has been passed (HAF). I was able to confirm California and New York. The other four states are not named in my sources, so this tracker does not include them. If you are aware of a bill in any of the states listed, please check the respective state legislature.
Is caste a protected class?
No, not on the federal level. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin (Syracuse Law Review, “Should Caste Be a Protected Class?”). Employees have used other related categories, such as religion, ancestry or race (L&E Global, “Seattle Enacts First-of-Its-Kind Law”). The state of California’s discrimination lawsuit against Cisco Systems, Inc. used religion, ancestry, national origin and race (California Civil Rights Department, press release, 2020). To learn more about bringing a claim for caste-based discrimination, see our guide.
The Cisco case
A related event is the Cisco lawsuit. The California Civil Rights Department (CCRD) dropped its claims against the two engineers in April 2023 and continued against Cisco (NBC News, April 2023). The case against CCRD is ongoing, and the Hindu American Foundation’s federal case against CCRD was dismissed for lack of standing (AsAmNews, July 2025). The NRI Pulse report said the Cisco case was “ultimately dismissed” (June 2026). To verify, check the court records. Our post on Caste discrimination in Silicon Valley provides more information on this case.
Universities
Brandeis was the first university to add caste to its nondiscrimination policies, in December 2019. UC Davis followed in September 2021, and the California State University (CSU) system in January 2022. Brown University updated its policy in December 2022 (Caste on Campus, 2023). The appeals court in the CSU case dismissed the case for lack of standing, citing a lack of injury (Meyers Nave, 2025).
The arguments
Proponents of the laws point to enhanced legal clarity and the ability for employees to bring claims as positive outcomes of adding the named ground. The 2025 Carnegie survey of 1,206 Indian-Americans found that 77 percent were in support of anti-caste discrimination laws (Carnegie Endowment, 2025, cited in the Queens Ledger). Opponents of these laws, including the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), state that these laws unnecessarily target Hindus and South Asians. (HAF; CoHNA, June 2026). Generally, both camps agree that discrimination in all forms should be illegal. They differ in whether to name caste.
Using this tracker
Check the date to see if it is still current. See our source for verification. For workplace policies, see our tracker on caste discrimination in the workplace. See our tracker on Worldwide Caste Discrimination for comparison with other countries. For the groups driving these initiatives, see our tracker on Ambedkarite Groups. (The same skills that communities have leveraged to bring attention to their plight are now critical in using AI tools, learning email marketing, and blogging. Our Ambedkarite Educational Program teaches these skills.)
Takeaway
As of October 19, 2026, caste legislation US means Seattle’s ordinance (in force), Fresno’s council vote (passed), California’s vetoed SB 403, and New York’s S6531 and A6920, which did not advance in June 2026. No federal law names caste, and universities have acted through their own policies. Supporters and opponents agree that discrimination should be unlawful but disagree about naming caste. Please check the sources, because bills can return in later sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which US states have banned caste discrimination?
None. California’s legislature passed SB 403 in 2023, but the governor vetoed it. New York’s 2025–2026 bills did not advance in June 2026.
Which US cities ban caste discrimination?
Seattle (ordinance effective March 25, 2023) and Fresno, California (council vote on September 28, 2023).
What happened to the New York caste bill?
Senate Bill S6531 and Assembly Bill A6920 did not advance before the legislative session closed in early June 2026. I did not find whether they will be reintroduced.
Is caste a protected class under federal law?
No. Title VII covers race, color, religion, sex and national origin. Claimants have used national origin, ancestry, religion or race.
Why did Governor Newsom veto SB 403?
He said that existing California law already prohibits discrimination on the basis of caste, so the bill was unnecessary.
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SOURCES
- NY State Senate, Bill S6531 (2025–2026)
- Hindu American Foundation, “Constitutionally flawed New York caste bills fail,” June 5, 2026
- IndiaWest, “New York Legislature Declines To Advance ‘Caste’ Protection Bills,” June 2026
- NRI Pulse, June 9, 2026
- CoHNA via PR Newswire, June 5, 2026
- The Mooknayak, May 2026
- Sprouts News, May 20, 2026
- Prism Reports, May 11, 2026
- Queens Ledger, May 5, 2026
- NEPYORK, April 2026
- Al Jazeera, September 2023
- NBC News, September 2023
- Littler, “California Governor Vetoes Bill Banning Caste Discrimination”
- New Jersey State Bar Foundation, “Caste Discrimination Comes to the U.S.,” 2024
- Wikipedia, “Caste discrimination in the United States”
- Syracuse Law Review, “Should Caste Be a Protected Class?”
- California Civil Rights Department, “DFEH Sues Cisco Systems, Inc.,” 2020
- NBC News, April 2023
- AsAmNews, July 30, 2025
- JD Supra, “An Emerging Protected Class”
- Epstein Becker Green, Workforce Bulletin
- L&E Global, “Seattle Enacts First-of-Its-Kind Law”
- Meyers Nave, Ninth Circuit ruling on CSU policy
