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Council staff briefed on bill replacing practitioner certification with attestation for birth‑certificate designations

Montgomery County Council · February 24, 2026

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Summary

Staff summarized HB 1589 / SB 626, which would let individuals attest under penalty of perjury to designation changes on birth certificates and related IDs rather than requiring a health‑care practitioner; council members indicated support and the item was advanced without objection.

Staff described House Bill 1589 and Senate Bill 626, which would change the current process for certain designation changes on birth certificates, state driver's licenses and IDs (SEG 285–296). Under the draft bill, the process that currently requires certification by a health care practitioner would be replaced by an attestation under penalty of perjury by the individual, and document designations would be standardized into male, female and "another/unspecified" categories.

Staff said the bill also includes permissions related to issuing a new birth certificate when the name of a parent listed on the certificate changes (SEG 300–301). Council members voiced support for the bill as a "common sense" change and the clerk indicated the item could move forward without objection (SEG 302–306). No formal vote was recorded during the work session.