logo
Misgendering trans people on their death certificates could be jailable offense under blue-state bill

Misgendering trans people on their death certificates could be jailable offense under blue-state bill

Fox News19-02-2025

A bill before the Colorado state legislature would require a deceased person's gender identity be recorded on their certificate of death under penalty of a fine and/or jail time for anyone who "knowingly and willfully violates" the measure, which one critic told Fox News was an "insane" effort that compels speech.
Under the proposed law – sponsored by Democratic state Reps. Karen McCormick and Kyle Brown and state Sen. Mike Weissman – if a document memorializing the decedent's gender identity is presented, the individual completing the death certificate must record the decedent's sex based on that identity. If this is thwarted in any way, the penalty is a class 2 misdemeanor, which in Colorado is punishable by up to 120 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $750.
"The state registrar must also amend the certificate of death to reflect a legal name change if the appropriate legal name change documentation is submitted to the state registrar," the bill states.
If there is no official document showing the decedent's gender identity, and the person who is responsible for managing the decedent's remains such as a family member or legal representative disagrees with the sex recorded on the death certificate, they have the right to request a change, the bill states.
Specifically, before the death certificate is officially filed, the person in charge of the remains can inform the individual completing the death certificate of their objection. If this happens, the person completing the certificate must update the record to reflect the gender identity that the individual controlling the remains states, rather than the biological sex.
Current law allows coroners, medical examiners, forensic pathologists and other "qualified individuals" to determine the cause of death and complete the death certificate. State rules define "qualified individuals" as a physician or the chief medical officer of the institution where the death occurred.
Other liberal states have passed similar laws in recent years, but do not have a criminal penalty tacked onto it. California's law allows for the update of gender on death certificates, but it does not specifically include criminal penalties for failing to record gender identity properly. If a death certificate is incorrectly issued, the family or legal representative can request an amended certificate. New York, Washington and Oregon also have these laws.
"And the idea that it's under compulsion, that's unprecedented," Dr. Travis Morrell, a Colorado physician and fellow with the conservative medical coalition Do No Harm, told Fox News Digital in an interview. "Although the misdemeanor is maybe a new little feature that they've added, it's kind of situation normal here in Colorado."
Morrell said he plans to speak at the bill's hearing next week.
"This is very much in line with Colorado's overall war on reality and war on scientific truth," he said. "The idea that not only does a doctor or mortician have to lie, they're being tried with jail, that's insane. It's compelled speech."
The bill comes on the heels of President Donald Trump declaring that there are only "two sexes" in an executive order last month, as well as a slew of other gender-related executive actions seeking to weed out "radical gender ideology."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the legislators for comment but did not hear back by time of publication.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Freshman wishlist: Adam Schiff vs. Trump 2.0
Freshman wishlist: Adam Schiff vs. Trump 2.0

Axios

time23 minutes ago

  • Axios

Freshman wishlist: Adam Schiff vs. Trump 2.0

Sen. Adam Schiff has some advice for President Trump when attempting to demean him: Pick one nickname. Why it matters: Schiff rose to cable TV stardom as an anti-Trump foil while leading the first impeachment. "Shifty Schiff" or "Watermelon Head" learned to give as good as he got. Trump called Schiff names. Schiff ensured he was impeached — twice. "[T]he cardinal rule of nicknames is: Just stick with one," Schiff told Axios in an interview. Schiff translated his MAGA notoriety into a safe Senate seat, first battling through a tough, expensive primary. Now he's ready for round two with Trump. "I've been thrust back into a lot of that responsibility again because what he's trying to do in the second term is even worse than what he tried to do in the first term," Schiff said. Zoom out: Before Trump dominated the national conversation, Schiff considered himself a fairly nonpartisan national security expert. He endorsed Jim Mattis for Secretary of Defense in 2016 when other Democrats didn't. Schiff had hoped for another rebrand in the Senate. "I was expecting a Biden or a Harris presidency, and the ability to just focus exclusively on what positive things I could get done," he told Axios. What to watch: He is enjoying visiting redder areas of the state after spending years representing just a slice of heavily Democratic Los Angeles. He shared about one such visit in the state's northeast. "I knew I had made progress when one of the farmers looked at me and said, 'I don't know why he calls you watermelon head. You have a perfectly normal-sized head.'" But it's doubtful he'll revert back to a less partisan posture, given the direction of Trump's second term. Driving the news: Two days after our interview, Trump deployed National Guard troops to tamp down on ICE protests in Los Angeles in opposition to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.). "This action is designed to inflame tensions, sow chaos, and escalate the situation," Schiff posted on X on Saturday. He also repeatedly called for violence to stop at protests. "Assaulting law enforcement is never ok," he posted Sunday. Zoom in: Schiff tried to pass a resolution shortly before our interview to stop the administration from stripping civil rights leader Harvey Milk's name from a Navy ship. He has demanded financial disclosures from the White House, written letters to stop DOGE from shutting down USDA offices and tried to block the repeal of EV rules. "Most of my days are spent trying to walk this line between stopping the administration from violating the law and ignoring the Constitution on the one hand," Schiff said, "and continuing to deliver for Californians..." Schiff recognizes that his clashes altered his career trajectory. "I have my brand pre-Trump and my brand post-Trump," Schiff told Axios. Between the lines: Schiff's leadership in the House's first Trump impeachment made him a mortal enemy to Trump and his allies, leading to a "weirdly personal" dynamic, Schiff said.

Lawmakers disagree over medical marijuana picks
Lawmakers disagree over medical marijuana picks

Yahoo

time25 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Lawmakers disagree over medical marijuana picks

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — There was friction aplenty on Monday about should be on the latest version of the South Dakota Legislature's Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee. Just three of panel's 11 members will be returning from last year's group — medical doctor Francine Arneson of Sioux Falls, addiction counselor Kristi Palmer of Sturgis and Sioux Falls police chief Jon Thum. Teen sentenced to 20 years for fentanyl death The Legislature's Executive Board makes the appointments. Lawmakers voted 15-0 for the first nominee, Republican Sen. Lauren Nelson with no discussion. But after that, there was a lot of disagreement. The appointment of Republican Sen. John Carley went through 9-6, with nays from Republican Rep. Mellissa Heermann, Republican Rep. Brian Mulder, Republican Sen. Randy Deibert, Republican Sen. Steve Kolbeck, Democratic Sen. Liz Larson and Democratic Rep. Erin Healy. The dissension further surfaced when Healy nominated Republican Rep. Terri Jorgenson. Republican Rep. Scott Odenbach called for Republican Rep. Josephine Garcia instead. Odenbach, the House Republican leader, said he had conversed by text with several applicants from the House and they eventually settled on Garcia and Republican Rep. Travis Ismay as those applicants' preferences. Garcia went through on a 9-6 vote, drawing nays from the same lawmakers as Carley had. Odenbach next nominated Ismay, who has repeatedly tried to derail South Dakota's medical marijuana program, after nearly 70% of voters approved it in the 2020 election. 'There's no doubt Representative Ismay is a passionate person on this issue,' Odenbach said. Healy said she didn't want to appoint someone opposed to medical marijuana. Emmett Reistroffer, representing Genesis Farms, a medical marijuana producer with retail outlets in various communities, spoke against Ismay's appointment. Reistroffer claimed that Ismay has used profanity at times in describing the medical marijuana industry and wouldn't meet with its lobbyists. 'We just feel this nomination is not appropriate,' Reistroffer said. Healy reminded other Executive Board members that it was up to the board to make the appointments. 'Ultimately, we are here for a reason and we need to make the best decision that we can,' she said. Kolbeck noted that the Legislature a few years ago came up with the current slots for the committee when some lawmakers were trying repeal the program altogether. 'It's how it should run,' Kolbeck argued, saying the board shouldn't appoint someone who isn't willing to respect the voters' wishes. Mulder then nominated Republican Rep. Bobbi Andera instead. Republican Sen. Tom Pischke said Andera was very busy with other things in her life and questioned whether she didn't apply because 'she doesn't have the bandwidth to serve' on the panel. Both Mulder and Republican Rep. Aaron Aylward said they had texted with Andera last week and she confirmed her interest. Reistroffer, representing Genesis Farms, told the lawmakers he was 'relieved' to hear Andera's name, describing her as 'fair' and said she 'listens.' He added that she was the only legislator to attend the medical marijuana industry's briefing earlier this year and said she sometimes voted yes and sometimes voted no on their proposals. Odenbach said he thinks well of Andera but she didn't apply and he said that was why he would vote against her. The board's chair, Republican Rep. Jon Hansen, the House speaker, said he had promised to support Ismay's nomination but also thought that Andera would make a great member. Republican Sen. Ernie Otten also said he couldn't support Andera. 'Without any application no,' he said. Andera nonetheless was appointed 10-5, with nays from Republican Rep. Spencer Gosch, Odenbach, Republican Sen. Jim Mehlhaff, Otten and Hansen. The board voted 11-4 for Dr. Arneson, with nays from Gosch, Hansen, Mehlhaff and Republican Sen. Chris Karr, the Senate's top member. The skirmishing seemed to have ended with 15-0 votes for physician assistant Andrew Schock of Hill City, certified nurse practitioner Julie Bostic of Hartford, police chief Thum, Meade County Sheriff Pat West and counselor Palmer. But the board split again on who should serve as the committee's qualifying patient — someone who is a current cardholder. Karey Entwisle of rural Canistota drove to the meeting at the Capitol accompanied by her father, a U.S. Marine who served two tours in Vietnam a half-century ago and now suffers from kidney disease. She wanted the qualifying patient seat. Mehlhaff questioned whether Entwisle had a conflict of interest because her husband operates Pitbull Acres, a state-licensed cultivator of medical marijuana. Entwisle minimized her role there. 'I'm strictly by the books providing facts,' she said. However, research after the meeting by KELOLAND News of public records on file with the South Dakota Secretary of State office found only her name listed as organizer for Pitbull Acres. Entwisle spoke of her father, who was in a wheelchair. 'This plant has been healing him,' she said. Mehlhaff asked her again how she would compartmentalize the roles of qualifying patient and spouse of a licensed cultivator. 'I am focused on the facts and the situation,' she replied. Karr wanted someone else. He offered Nicholas Cardova instead, saying, 'I just think it's cleaner to avoid any potential conflicts.' The majority of board members disagreed, splitting six for and nine against Cardova. Reistroffer, from Genesis Farms, was invited to the witness mic to address the board a third time. He said he'd gotten to know Entwisle during the past year. 'Clearly she supports the relief her father is finding,' he said. Then Reistroffer spoke from a broader perspective. 'This entire (medical marijuana) committee is stacked from top to bottom. She's the only one we've got,' he said. Mehlhaff said it was important that Entwisle had addressed the conflict question. 'I think she would be a good candidate,' he said. He had served on the panel the past two years and clearly wasn't a supporter of some of the ways that the medical marijuana industry conducts business in South Dakota. Mehlhaff said it was easy for medical marijuana to bleed over to recreational marijuana and he was 'comfortable' that Entwisle would try to minimize that as much as possible. With that, the board voted 14-1 — with only Karr saying nay — for her appointment. In other appointments on Monday, the board chose: Circuit Judge David Wheeler, a former senator from Huron, to fill an opening on the state Code Commission; Brett Koenecke, from the May Adam law firm in Pierre, and Thomas Geu, a former dean at the University of South Dakota law school, to continue serving on the national Uniform Law Commission; and Michael Anderson of Watertown to the state Investment Council. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Attorney general blasts governor's veto of bill to rein in price fixing
Attorney general blasts governor's veto of bill to rein in price fixing

Yahoo

time25 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Attorney general blasts governor's veto of bill to rein in price fixing

Attorney General Aaron Ford and Gov. Joe Lombardo. (Photo: Richard Bednarski/Nevada Current) Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford said Monday that Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo's veto of Ford's legislation to crack down on price fixing 'means fewer protections for your wallet.' Lombardo, in his veto message last week, blasted the bill as 'a striking case of government overreach' and 'inherently broad and open to wide interpretation, likely making enforcement subjective and inconsistent.' Assembly Bill 44 sought to expand the state's existing Unfair Trade Practice Act to include knowingly deceptive price fixing of essential goods and services, defining those goods as things 'needed on a daily or recurring basis for the livelihood of a person.' The list of essential goods defined by the bill included housing, food, internet service, ground transportation, and pharmaceutical and other medical products. 'Let's be clear about what this veto means,' said Ford, who has indicated he hopes to take Lombardo's job away from him in next year's election, in a statement Monday. 'It means fewer tools to hold bad corporations accountable. It means fewer protections for your wallet. And it means more power for the people who rig the rules against all of us in the Nevada family.' During his presentations of AB 44, Ford told lawmakers the legislation was designed to bolster consumer protections and wouldn't apply to businesses if they weren't engaging in fraudulent practices. The legislation passed the Assembly 24-18 in April with three Democrats, Assemblymembers Joe Dalia, Duy Nguyen and Venise Karris, joining Republicans in opposing the measure. AB 44 passed the Senate 14-7 in late May, with Republican state Sen. John Steinbeck joining Democrats. The veto showed Lombardo sided 'with corporations that cheat and deceive to make a buck,' Ford said Monday, adding that Lombardo's decision was 'disappointing, but not surprising.' While the bill encompassed several categories of goods and services, perhaps its most notable feature was an attempt to rein in price fixing in the rental market. Landlords and property owners across the country, including in Nevada, have come under fire in recent years for using rent-fixing software to artificially raise the price of rents. Real estate software companies, like RealPage, have been sued by several state attorneys general and the federal government in the last year, though the companyRealPage has denied wrongdoing in these cases. During the legislative session, rental property owners and real estate groups likened the bill's efforts to address price fixing as 'rent control.' '​​This bill does not cap in any kind of way how much someone can charge for something as long as they aren't knowingly, fraudulently or deceptively engaging in conduct,' Ford said in a March bill hearing. 'You can charge what you want to charge.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store