REAL ID Gender Requirement Reform Act
The REAL ID Gender Requirement Reform Act would amend the REAL ID Act of 2005 to give states flexibility over whether to include a gender or sex field on driver’s licenses and other state-issued IDs. If a state chooses to include such a field, the bill requires that individuals be allowed to designate their gender without providing extra documentation (for example, no doctor’s note). It also directs that the state include an unspecified or other designation in addition to male and female. In short, the bill is intended to make gender options on IDs more inclusive and reduce documentation hurdles for those who identify outside the traditional male/female categories. The bill also includes a technical cross-reference correction to another statute.
Key Points
- 1States gain discretion: A state may decide whether to include a gender or sex field on driver’s licenses and IDs.
- 2Inclusive designations required if present: If a state includes a gender/sex field, it must offer an unspecified or other designation in addition to male or female.
- 3No extra documentation: Individuals would not have to provide additional documentation (e.g., medical notes) to designate their gender when a field is included.
- 4Voluntary approach: The bill does not mandate all states to add a gender field; it only governs how such a field, if present, must operate.
- 5Technical amendment: Includes a conforming amendment to adjust a cross-reference in relation to the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007.