New Jersey soon could have some of the most progressive gender-identity policies in the nation.

Although some of the proposals make some people uncomfortable, they have strong support in Trenton, and they aren't really new ideas. They've been around for a while but they never before made it to enactment.

Now they seem to have the support of Gov. Phil Murphy and there are more yes votes in the Legislature.

One bill, S478, sponsored by Sens. Joseph Vitale and Loretta Weinberg, both champions of rights for marginalized people, was recently passed (again) in the Senate. It had been passed twice in recent years but vetoed by Chris Christie both times. This time it passed 30-7 with a few Republican votes and all three Hudson senators in support.

Briefly, it would allow anyone to obtain a revised birth certificate from the State Registrar of Vital Statistics, changing the gender assigned to them at birth to the gender they prefer. There's no requirement the person has undergone or be undergoing gender reassignment surgery. Anyone can get a birth certificate saying they are what they choose to be.

It would also require Vital Statistics to place the original birth certificate under seal, meaning it could not be accessed by anyone except the named individual, or his or her parent or guardian if the person is a minor, or by court order. The person would have to complete a form swearing the gender change was not for any fraudulent purpose.

The bill also allows a New Jersey court to issue an order declaring the person's new gender if a state or country where the birth actually occurred requires a court ruling to acknowledge the change.

There's a companion bill, S967, making similar provisions for death certificates. If the deceased person's physical attributes do not match the gender ascribed to the person, the coroner would be required to obtain information from family or friends, a court order concerning a gender or name change, an advanced health care directive or other government-issued identification to determine the gender to be recorded on the death certificate.

Currently state law already allows people to change the gender on their birth certificates if they have had gender reassignment surgery, but Weinberg argues that even people who don't want surgery have a right to claim the gender they prefer.

Weinberg notes birth certificates are required for many things, including drivers' licenses, passports, and some jobs. She says they should reflect the reality of the person's current life, not the gender assigned to them at birth. She says transgender individuals whose current gender identity does not align with their biological sex at birth are too often denied healthcare or insurance coverage and they may face discrimination or harassment.

Another measure would create a 17-member Transgender Equality Task Force to review state programs and policies with an eye to ensuring gender equality. That one passed the Senate unanimously. It will focus chiefly on housing, education, employment, healthcare and criminal justice.

The Assembly hasn't acted on these proposals yet, but since they were passed in the past, they can be expected to sail through this year, as well. Governor Murphy stressed diversity and equality during his campaign and received strong support from LGBT activists and organizations.

Activists estimate that 60,000 non-binary individuals reside in New Jersey. Those are people who don't adhere to strict definitions of male or female. There's no available documentation to back up or refute those numbers. Overall gender equality protections were passed by the Legislature in 2007, but now the LGBT activists are homing in on specific issues.

A former Assemblywoman from Jersey City, Joan Quigley is the president and CEO of North Hudson Community Action Corp.

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