IGTA Worldwide Reports

USA

-- From GAIN - Gender Advocacy Internet News <gain@tgender.net>
16th August 2001

Birth record bill is vetoed

More people who underwent a sex change could have received certificates By Emily Bazar

Sacramento (California) Bee

Aug. 9, 2001

http://www.capitolalert.com/news/capalert03_20010809.html

A bill that would have expanded the pool of people who can legally obtain a new birth certificate after a sex change operation has been vetoed by Gov. Gray Davis.Davis, a Democrat, gave little explanation for his veto, except to say: "I find no compelling reason to expand existing law and therefore cannot sign this measure." Under current law, a Californian who has undergone a sex change operation may obtain a new birth certificate by filing a petition for a new certificate with the court in his or her county of residence.

The new certificates reflect gender and name changes. AB 194 would have allowed anyone born in California, even people who currently live in other states, to file a petition for a new birth certificate with the court in his or her county of birth. Eric Astacaan, a lobbyist for the California Alliance for Pride and Equality, said the bill would have simplified the process of obtaining a new birth certificate for out-of-state residents. "Somebody (currently) has to uproot themselves from where they currently live and move back to California, which is more burdensome than just being able to hire a lawyer to do it from where they are," Astacaan said. But Randy Thomasson, executive director of Campaign for California families, expressed relief when he learned about the governor's veto. Thomasson said AB 194 would "advance transsexuality" and would provide a poor example to children. "It would also burden local counties," he said. "People who work in the courts don't want to be forced to promote this agenda because of a new law making them do it." Last year, Davis vetoed a somewhat similar bill, AB 1851, which also was written by Assemblyman John Longville, D-Rialto.

In addition to allowing out-of-state residents who were born in California to petition for a new birth certificate, AB 1851 also would have expanded the benefit to people currently living in California, but born in another state. Longville said this year's bill would have only applied to a couple of out-of-state residents. "It seemed to me unnecessary to force them to move back to the state just to obtain a legal document," he said.

END