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Birth Certificate Modernization Act advances; sponsors say change will reduce administrative barriers for transgender people and parents
Summary
House Bill 13 68 would streamline the process for amending gender markers and parent names on Maryland birth certificates; sponsors and a broad coalition of advocates said the change would reduce burdens and safety risks for transgender and nonbinary Marylanders, while one opponent cited biological definitions of sex as a concern.
Delegate Ashanti Martinez presented House Bill 13 68, the “Birth Certificate Modernization Act,” which would simplify procedures for issuing new birth certificates when an individual changes their sex designation and would allow parents who legally change their names to have their child's birth certificate reflect that change except in certain marriage/divorce cases.
The bill’s sponsor said the proposal would remove medically unnecessary documentation requirements and align birth-certificate practice with the Motor Vehicle Administration's existing approach to gender markers (male, female, X). The sponsor said the measure is supported by a broad set of organizations, including the…
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