SB 179 California Senate · 2017-2018 Regular Session

Gender identity: female, male, or nonbinary.

Summary
(1) Existing law authorizes a person who was born in this state and who has undergone clinically appropriate treatment for the purpose of gender transition to obtain a new birth certificate from the State Registrar. This bill would enact the Gender Recognition Act. For purposes of obtaining a new birth certificate under the provisions above, the bill would delete the requirement that an applicant have undergone any treatment, and instead would authorize a person to submit to the State Registrar an application to change gender on the birth certificate and an affidavit attesting, under penalty of perjury, that the request for a change of gender is to conform the person's legal gender to the person's gender identity and not for any fraudulent purpose. By requiring the affidavit to be attested to under penalty of perjury, the bill would create a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize the change of gender on a new birth certificate to be female, male, or nonbinary. (2) Existing law authorizes a person who has undergone clinically appropriate treatment for the purpose of gender transition to petition for a court judgment recognizing the change of gender, and to petition for a court order conforming the person's name to the person's gender identity. Existing law provides specific procedures to seek these orders and judgments, either separately or in combination. This bill, commencing on September 1, 2018, would delete the requirement that a person have undergone any treatment to seek a court judgment to recognize a change of gender and instead would authorize the petitioner to attest, under penalty of perjury, that the request is to conform the person's legal gender to the person's gender identity and not for any fraudulent purpose. By requiring the affidavit to be attested to under penalty of perjury, the bill would create a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize a change of gender in the court judgment to female, male, or nonbinary. The bill would provide modified procedures to obtain a court order for a change of name to conform to the petitioner's gender identity and a court judgment to recognize a change in the petitioner's gender. The bill would provide a separate procedure for a person under 18 years of age to petition for a court judgment to recognize a change of gender to female, male, or nonbinary. (3) Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a driver's license to an applicant when the department determines that the applicant is lawfully entitled to a license, and requires the license to contain, among other things, a brief description and engraved picture or photograph of the licensee for the purpose of identification. Existing law requires the application for an original driver's license or renewal of a driver's license to contain specified information, as provided by the applicant. Existing law also authorizes the department to issue identification cards and requires an identification card to adequately describe the applicant. Existing law requires the department, upon issuance of a new identification card or renewal of an identification card, to provide information regarding organ and tissue donation, including an enrollment form for the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry that requires an applicant to mark his or her sex. This bill, on January 1, 2019, would require an applicant for an original driver's license or renewal of a driver's license to choose a gender category of female, male, or nonbinary, as specified, and would require the department to adopt regulations to provide a process for an amendment to a gender category under these provisions. The bill would also require the enrollment form for the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry to instead require an applicant to mark his or her gender. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations in support of its provisions. (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2017
Committee Review
Sep 2017
Senate Passage
May 2017
Assembly Passage
Sep 2017
Signed into Law
Oct 2017
Introduced Jan 24, 2017 Signed Oct 15, 2017
Floor votes · Senate May 31, 2017 · Assembly Sep 13, 2017

How they voted

229
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 32
May 31, 2017
D Democratic22
22 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican10
9 Nay 1
90% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
37
Key actions
12
Committee
10
Amendments
2
Oct 15, 2017
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor.
legislature
Sep 14, 2017
Upper · Passed
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 26. Noes 12. Page 2923.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
upper
Sep 14, 2017
Introduced
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
upper
Sep 13, 2017
Assembly · Passed
Assembly Vote: pass (49-19-1)
assembly
Sep 1, 2017
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 5.) (September 1).
lower
Jul 11, 2017
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 3.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
lower
Jun 29, 2017
Lower · Passed
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
lower
Jun 28, 2017
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. (Ayes 9. Noes 1.) (June 27).
lower
Jun 15, 2017
Committee
Referred to Coms. on JUD. and TRANS.
lower
May 31, 2017
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (22-9-1)
senate
May 25, 2017
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 1179.) (May 25).
upper
May 3, 2017
Upper · Passed
May 8 hearing postponed by committee.
upper
Apr 26, 2017
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 851.) (April 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
upper
Apr 5, 2017
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 9. Noes 1. Page 627.) (April 4). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
upper
Feb 2, 2017
Committee
Referred to Coms. on T. & H. and JUD.
upper
Jan 24, 2017
Introduced
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
upper
0 primary · 18 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.