Oregon Governor Kate Brown, a Democrat,
on Thursday signed a bill into law that eases the process for
transgender people to change their birth certificates.
Changing a person's name and gender on
a birth certificate previously involved costly court fees. Under the
new law, a person can make these changes by filling out a form,
increasing privacy and reducing the cost, Reuters reported.
Oregon is the second state after
California to enact such a law.
“The cost and other legal hurdles
posed by the old system created major barriers for transgender
individuals seeking to update personal records in various aspects of
their lives,” Reuters wrote.
According to a 2015 survey by the
National Center for Transgender Equality, only 10 percent of
transgender people in the United States have identification that
matches their gender identity.
“Having a driver's license, credit
cards and insurance card that accurately reflects one's name and
gender simply makes it easier to get a job, housing and to access
medical care,” Nancy Haque, a co-executive director of Basic Rights
Oregon, told
Reuters.
The new law takes effect January 1.