Transgender birth records bill passes Oregon House

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A proposal that would privatize the process for transgender individuals to make changes to their birth certificates cleared the Oregon House on Wednesday in a 37-23 vote.

Under House Bill 2673, transgenders with Oregon birth certificates would be able to update their names and genders through a private process under the Oregon Health Authority, circumventing public paper trials and involvement of the courts. The bill now heads to the Senate.

Proponents say nine in 10 transgender Oregonians do not have vital records that accurately reflect their names and genders, which can hamper their abilities to get health care, housing or a job. It’s also seen as a way for Oregon to protect against discrimination as protections for transgender youth were recently revoked at the federal level.