NEWS / Kansas prohibits gender changes on birth certificates

The State of Kansas will no longer allow individuals to change the gender that appears on their birth certificates. The change comes 2 weeks after a US District Court in Kansas approved a request to prohibit individuals from amending the gender on their birth certificate.

The change was announced by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment today. Birth certificates with a previously amended gender marker will still be considered valid, but the marker will be changed to the gender assigned at birth if a certified copy is ordered.

Kansas is now the 4th state to prohibit individuals from changing the gender shown on birth certificates, joining Montana, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

The Department cited State Bill 180, also known as the Kansas Women’s Bill of Rights. The bill was previously vetoed by Governor Laura Kelly, who was quoted by the Topeka Capital Journal as stating that “the state should not discriminate or encroach into Kansans’ personal lives—it’s wrong, it’s bad for business, and it’s why I opposed SB 180 from the start.” The Republican-dominated legislature of the state was able to pass the bill over the Democratic Governor’s veto.

At the same time, Governor Kelly noted that all state agencies subordinate to her will comply with the implementation of the bill. The Governor was often at odds with Attorney General Kris Kobach, who advocated in favor of the bill. He even amended a federal order that required the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to issue birth certificates with new genders, a controversial move that was eventually supported by US District Court Judge Daniel Crabtree.

Kobach also obtained a temporary restraining order that prohibiting individuals from changing gender markers on driver’s licenses. That case, however, is still ongoing.

A&M Logos International is here to assist you with retrieving certified copies of your birth certificate. We can also get it apostilled or legalized for use abroad if necessary. Call us today at (212) 233-7061 or e-mail us at info@apostille.us. You may also wish to visit our website.