For the first time, transgender people living in New Jersey have the legal right to alter the sex recorded on their birth and death certificates, under new laws enacted Tuesday by Gov. Phil Murphy.

There are an estimated 30,100 transgender people living in New Jersey and about 1.4 million transgender people living in the United States, according to a 2016 report by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law.

People whose gender identity conflicts with their sex at birth face unique forms of discrimination that lesbian and gay people do not. Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, lauded Murphy and members of the Legislature for "seeing that equality reaches everyone in New Jersey."

"Transgender people have long stood in solidarity with LGB people and here at Garden State Equality we make sure nobody is left behind," Fuscarino said.

Murphy, a Democrat, signed:

* A1718, which requires the state Registrar of Vital Statistics to issue an amended birth certificate to a person born in the state which bears the transgender person's name and sex. The law was named after Babs Siperstein of Edison, the first elected transgender member of the Democratic National Committee in 2012.

The law removes the requirement that a transgender person had to submit medical records showing reassignment surgery had taken place.

"Our existing law does not support the understanding that gender reassignment surgery is no longer the only option for transitioning," said Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, who sponsored the bill with Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen.

"By enacting this legislation, we acknowledge nonsurgical transitioning which usually includes physical, psychological, social, and emotional changes."

Former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, twice vetoed the bill during his eight years in office, citing concerns over fraud.

* A1726, which permits the person planning the funeral of a transgender person to request the death certificate reflect the person's identity. The transgender person may also leave behind a document "providing proof of clinical treatment for gender transition may be used to memorialize a gender transition."

* A1727, establishing a transgender equality task force "to assess legal and societal barriers to equality" and recommend future laws to prevent discrimination.

"Today is an important day for New Jersey as we continue to strive toward equality for all of our residents, regardless of sex or gender expression," Murphy said in statement. "Allowing vital records to match gender identity is an important step forward that will allow transgender individuals to control the disclosure of their transgender status.

"And by creating a Transgender Equality Task Force, New Jersey can ensure that all residents receive the protections they deserve," Murphy added. "New Jersey will continue to stand with our LGBTQ residents in the continued pursuit of similar rights nationwide."

New Jersey is the 17th state that allows transgender residents to change their gender on birth records without proof of surgery, and the fourth state, following California, Oregon, and Washington, that will include transgender as an option on birth certificates, according to Garden State Equality's Director of Programs Aaron Potenza, who helped draft the birth certificate legislation.

Correction: An earlier version of this story mistakenly stated New Jersey had become the 17th state to enact a law allowing changes in death records to reflect gender identity. It was the 17th state to allow changes to birth records.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.