California senators will take up a bill allowing for the option of nonbinary as the gender identity on death certificates now that their Assembly colleagues have approved the legislation.
It is the first bill focused on LGBTQ rights to pass out of its house of origin this legislative session. The Legislature's lower chamber passed Assembly Bill 439 April 19 on a 65-2 vote, with 12 Assembly members not voting.
It is similar to the 2017 legislation Senate Bill 179, authored by lesbian Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), which authorized people to use nonbinary on their birth certificates, court documents, and driver's licenses.