California has become the first state to allow state residents to choose a gender option other than male or female on official documents. This California legislative action has been a top priority among civil rights groups. Thanks to the functions of government, it will now be easier for transgender citizens to change their gender on birth certificates of driver’s licenses.
This change also deletes a state law requirement that an applicant must undergo treatment and submit a sworn statement from their physician before changing their gender identity. The new California legislature was signed by California Gov. Jerry Brown.
The new bill, SB179, makes California the first state to offer the non binary option. While most recent bills that Brown has signed will go into effect starting January 1, 2018, this bill will take effect a year later.
This past July, Oregon became the first state to allow people to select “not specified” for gender on driver’s licenses. These licenses offer an “X” instead of “M” or “F”.
After Oregon passed this bill, other areas, including Washington D.C., chose to allow residents to identify as a gender other than male or female on their driver’s licenses, and a similar measure is pending in New York.
Sen. Toni Atkins, who helped write up the bill, said in a statement, “I want to thank Governor Brown for recognizing how difficult it can be for our transgender, nonbinary and intersex family members, friends and neighbors when they don’t have an ID that matches their gender presentation. I have dear friends in San Diego and around the state who have been waiting a long time for this.”
California Legislative Information: Functions of California Government
The functions of government allowed the state of California to change state rules, just like many other states could choose to do if they were to vote on a new legal statute. The state government of California’s executive branch is overseen by the Office of the Governor and involves elected officials.
State laws and draft legislation are voted on by the State Assembly and the Senate. The judicial branch includes the California Supreme Court and the lower courts in the state. The functions of government allow the California Supreme Court to interpret and apply state regulations at the state and local levels.
In 1849, the Constitution of the State of California was created, even before California became a state in 1850. The current California Constitution was ratified in 1879, but is still based on the original 1849 constitution. Both documents outline the duties, power, and functions of government in California. While there have been minor changes to this state constitution, there have been 27 constitutional amendments made to the U.S. constitution to date.
The local government in California is managed by 58 counties, 485 cities, 1,202 school districts, and over 3,400 special districts.