ACLU of Utah Statement on H.B. 153 “Utah Vital Statistics Act Amendments” (Rep. Nelson)
January 23, 2019
Note: H.B. 153 “Utah Vital Statistics Act Amendments” (Rep. M. Nelson) would limit an individual’s ability to change the sex listed on the person’s birth certificate.
ACLU of Utah Statement
“In addition to being completely out of step with science, medicine, and respect for basic human dignity, Rep. Nelson’s bill is unconstitutional.
Last year federal judges in Idaho and Puerto Rico ruled that restrictive laws preventing people from updating the listed sex on a birth certificate violate the Equal Protection clause of U.S. Constitution. This unconstitutional bill does not further any rational governmental interest and unnecessarily targetstransgender, non-binary and intersex individuals. Like the infamous “bathroom bill” in North Carolina, the passage of this vindictive bill would bring a dangerous national spotlight on our state, resulting in unnecessary economic losses, potential boycotts and inevitable lawsuits.”
Marina Lowe
ACLU of Utah Legislative & Policy Counsel
Downloadable version (PDF)
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