State Rep. Greg Harris ( D-Chicago ), on Feb. 11, introduced a new bill that would make it easier for transgender Illinois residents to amend their birth certificate.
The bill, HB 6073, amends the state's vital records act so that a declaration by a physician that the individual is undergoing medically appropriate treatment would be the main requirement to change the gender-marker on a birth certificate. Previously, an affidavit from a doctor saying that the individual had undergone gender-reassignment surgery was needed to implement a gender-marker change. The new rule would also apply to intersex individuals.
Activists have long advocated for such changes to birth certificate rules, since many transgender individuals may not be able, or may not wish, to undergo gender-reassignment surgery.
"Surgery is something that is not available, necessary, or even medically advisable for every person that is transitioning," said John Knight, LGBT and HIV Project director for ACLU Illinois, in a statement. "Our State should recognize this reality. This proposal brings Illinois' vital records law into line with the standards used by the federal government and a growing list of states."
Harris' bill now goes to the House Rules Committee.