HB 17-1122

HB 17-1122, also known as the '2017 Birth Certificate Modernization Act,' simplifies and updates Colorado's process for changing gender on birth certificates. Under this bill, individuals can now request a new birth certificate with their preferred gender designation by submitting a written request along with a statement from a licensed healthcare provider who supports the change based on medical treatment or an intersex condition. The bill removes the previous requirement for court orders and legal name changes to update gender information on birth certificates. This means that people can now more easily reflect their true identity on official documents without needing to go through lengthy legal processes. Since it has been signed, this law is now in effect and benefits transgender and intersex individuals by making the process of updating their birth certificates easier and less costly.

Official Summary

Under current law, a person born in Colorado who seeks a new birth certificate from the registrar of vital statistics (state registrar) to reflect a change in gender designation must obtain a court order indicating that the sex of the person has been changed by surgical procedure and ordering that the gender designation on the birth certificate be amended, and the person must obtain a court order with a legal name change. The bill repeals that provision and creates new requirements for the issuance of birth certificates in cases of changes to gender designation. Under the bill, known as the '2017 Birth Certificate Modernization Act', the state registrar shall issue a new birth certificate with a different gender designation to a person who was born in this state when the state registrar receives: A written request from the person or the person's legal representative requesting a new birth certificate with a gender designation that differs from the gender designated on the person's original birth certificate; and A statement from a medical or mental health care provider licensed in good standing stating that the person has undergone treatment appropriate for that person for the purpose of gender transition or stating that the person has an intersex condition, and that in the provider's professional opinion the person's gender designation should be changed accordingly. The bill requires that the state registrar issue a new birth certificate rather than an amended birth certificate. The bill allows a person who has previously obtained an amended birth certificate under previous versions of the law to apply to receive a new birth certificate. A person is not required to obtain a court order for a legal name change in order to obtain a new birth certificate with a change in gender designation. The bill creates a process for a person to update the person's name on a birth certificate at other times than the issuance of the new birth certificate. The state registrar is prohibited from requesting additional medical information but is authorized to contact the medical or mental health provider to verify the provider's statement. The courts in this state are given jurisdiction to issue a decree to amend a birth certificate to reflect a change in gender designation for certain persons if the law in another state or foreign jurisdiction requires a court decree in order to amend a birth certificate to reflect a change in gender designation. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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