MVA Delays Implementation of Harmful License Policy
Morgan Meneses- Sheets, Executive Director
http://equalitymaryland.org/pr_2009/pr2009.12.30.htmMARYLAND - In the fall, Equality Maryland received notification that the Maryland Vehicle Administration (MVA) was looking at requiring an amended birth certificate in order for transgender individuals to update the gender marker on their driver's license. It was scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2010. This would have required going through the court system. Additionally, a birth certificate change can only be done if the sex of an individual has been changed by surgical procedure.
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After literally hundreds of calls and e-mails by Equality Maryland members and supporters into the offices of Governor O'Malley and Attorney General Doug Gansler, the organization received word that the proposed policy has been halted.
The Attorney General's office shared the following statement from the Motor Vehicle Administration:
MVA believes that the current policy on gender designation which has been in practice for almost a decade is secure and the procedures we have adopted ensures reasonable accommodation for individuals who are making a gender transition change. At this time, MVA is not effecting a change to that policy. However, written legal advice received from the Office of Attorney General clearly states that MVA's current policy does not meet all statutory requirements and we are therefore continuing to work with the Office of Attorney General before making a final determination on whether a policy update is appropriate.
