Lawmakers are introducing two bills that could help the transgender community in our state. The bills would give them a chance to more accurately represent themselves on state-issued documents.

One bill will offers a third gender option on driver's licenses, and the other would require a person's death certificate to reflect their gender identity.

HB2492

House Bill 2492 would offer drivers-license applicants a third gender option, "non-binary," to indicate they don't identify as male or female. It would allow non-binary transgender Arizonans to be recognized under the law. Many LGBTQ activists in our state argue the bill, which was introduced by Phoenix Rep. Ken Clark, gives hope for the future of the LGBTQ community in our state.

HB2582

House Bill 2582 would require death certificates to reflect gender identity, one's emotional and psychological sense of gender, including when it appears to conflict with a person's anatomy.

Both bills have not received a committee hearing.

Abortion bill in Arizona

A proposed bill may force women who want an abortion to tell state health officials exactly why.

Senate Bill 1394 is now making its way through Arizona legislature and has already been approved by a Senate panel.

The Health and Human Services Committee approved the bill, under which providers would have to run through a checklist of possible abortion reasons with the patient.

The bill states that the checklist can range from economic reasons and relationship issues to the woman not wanting children at the time of the pregnancy.

With current protocol, a provider can ask open-ended questions of why a woman wants an abortion.

The bill would also add more requirements on abortion providers.

The 5-2 vote sends the measure to the full Senate.