Hawaii has joined a short but growing
list of states offering a nonbinary gender option on driver's
licenses and state-issued IDs.
Governor David Ige, a Democrat, on
Wednesday signed the bill into law.
The law allows people who do not
identify as male or female to choose gender option “X.” The
change will appear on forms starting on July 1, 2020.
Maine and Colorado offer a similar
option.
Ige also signed a bill banning use of
the “gay or trans” panic defense in criminal cases.
Criminal defendants who use the
controversial defense claim that a violent act was triggered by the
revelation of a victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation or
gender identity.
States with similar laws include
California, New York, Connecticut, Maine, Illinois, Nevada, and Rhode
Island.
(Related: New
York Governor Andrew Cuomo signs bill banning “gay panic”
defense.)
Ige said Wednesday that the bills
“really demonstrate Hawaii's commitment to ensuring that everyone
in our community can be and will be treated fairly.”