Transgender individuals will no longer be able to change their sex on their driver’s license in Texas, the state’s Department of Public Safety announced this week.
"As of Aug. 20, 2024, DPS has stopped accepting these court orders as a basis to change sex identification in department records — including driver licenses," a spokesman wrote to ABC13 out of Houston on Thursday.
The change was initiated by the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. There were reportedly concerns about "the validity" of court orders. Sheri Gipson, head of the state’s driver’s license division, sent the internal email confirming the change, which was obtained by The Texas Tribune.
Under previous DPS rules, Texans were able to change the sex on their driver’s license if there was a clerical error or if they presented an amended birth certificate.
The state’s local chapter of the ACLU disapproved of the ruling citing "health and safety." ACLU of Texas staffer Ash Hall said in a statement that "the Department of Public Safety has a responsibility, as stated in its own name, to keep all Texans safe.
"This policy does the opposite. Not having accurate driver’s licenses jeopardizes trans people’s health and safety — by potentially outing us and exposing us to discrimination, harassment, and violence."
Paxton has been at the forefront of the pushback from conservative states over transgender issues. Last week the attorney general sued the Biden administration, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to halt enforcement guidelines that force employers to implement transgender mandates or risk being sued for discrimination.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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