Advocates and Lawmakers Push for Landmark Anti-Caste Legislation in New York
Advocates and Lawmakers Push for Landmark Anti-Caste Legislation in New York ALBANY, NY — Advocacy groups and state legislators are intensifying their push for a historic bill that would make New York the first state in the nation to explicitly ban caste discrimination. The proposed legislation, currently moving through the state capital as of May 2026, aims to close a legal loophole that advocates say leaves thousands of South Asian and other caste-oppressed New Yorkers vulnerable to bias in the workplace and housing. The Legislation The twin bills—Assembly Bill A6920, sponsored by Assemblymember Steven Raga, and Senate Bill S6531, sponsored by Senator James Sanders Jr.—would amend the New York State Executive Law. The change would add "caste" to the list of protected classes alongside race, creed, color, and national origin. Under the bill’s definition, caste is described as a "graded social hierarchical structure" that assigns status and privileges based on b...