BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1577 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 7, 2014 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mike Gatto, Chair AB 1577 (Atkins) - As Amended: March 19, 2014 Policy Committee: HealthVote:17-1 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: Yes SUMMARY This bill requires the person completing a death certificate to record the decedent's sex to reflect the decedent's gender identity, unless presented with a legal document that documents the decedent's gender transition. FISCAL EFFECT Likely minor, if any, state fiscal effect. Of about 230,000 deaths in California annually, approximately 700 deaths are expected among transgender individuals. Although this bill applies to all deaths, as a practical matter it would likely only address the subset of this 700 that may have issues with discrepancies in gender identification. Under this bill, counties could be required to process additional legal documents, leading to potential state-reimbursable mandate costs. However, workload to comply with this bill at the county level appears minor, and mandate claims appear unlikely. COMMENTS 1)Purpose . This bill seeks to make an official document of a transgender person consistent with their gender identity, regardless of their biological sex. A transgender person is one who does not identify with, or present as, the sex and assumed gender assigned at birth. This bill is co-sponsored by Equality California and the Transgender Law Center. 2)Previous Legislation . AB 1121 (Atkins), Chapter 651, Statutes of 2013, creates, as of July 1, 2014, an optional administrative procedure for a transgender person born in AB 1577 Page 2 California to amend gender and name on his/her birth certificate without first obtaining a court order. Analysis Prepared by : Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081