California Governor Vetoes Multiple Bills, Including Measures on Caste Discrimination, Free Condoms, and Voting Districts

California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that aimed to explicitly ban caste discrimination in the state. The bill, which had passed the California legislature, sought to provide legal recourse against instances of caste discrimination. Newsom stated that the bill was unnecessary as discrimination based on caste is already prohibited in the state. The measure faced opposition from some Indian Americans and Hindu organizations who argued it unfairly maligned South Asians and Hindus. Despite the veto, advocacy groups supporting the bill see it as a win and vow to continue fighting against caste-based discrimination.