TRENTON, NJ – Governor Murphy signed the signature “Birth Certificate Bill,” now known as the “Babs Siperstein Law.” After being vetoed by Governor Christie two times. This has been years in the making!

Garden State Equality’s Director of Programs Aaron Potenza, who worked behind the scenes to draft the bill, is thrilled. “New Jersey has finally removed the outdated, invasive, and overly burdensome proof of surgery requirement. Furthermore, we have created a path for people who identify outside the binary to access accurate documents. I am proud to have worked with the National Center for Transgender Equality, with activists like Babs Siperstein, and with our allies in the legislature to modernize the process for changing gender markers on New Jersey birth certificates.”

This is a tremendous step forward for transgender New Jerseyans that will allow them to access identity documents that match their lived experiences. The signing of this bill means New Jersey will become a national leader by joining 16 states that allow transgender residents to change their gender marker without proof of surgery. New Jersey will become the fourth state to offer a third gender option on birth certificates, following California, Oregon, and Washington.

“I am immensely proud of Governor Murphy for not only standing with our community, but also 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”, said Christian Fuscarino, Executive Director of Garden State Equality.

Governor Murphy also signed bills allowing gender identity to be reflected on death certificates and establishing a Transgender Task Force. The Task Force will advance equality in New Jersey by allowing government officials, experts in law, policy, and medicine, and community leaders and advocates to come together to study and address issues that impact transgender people throughout our society.

Garden State Equality would like to thank sponsors Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, Assemblyman Nicholas Chiaravalloti, Senator Joe Vitale, and Senator Loretta Weinberg.

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