By JESSE BEDAYN- Associated Press/Report for America
Denver (AP)— On Friday morning, the Democratic majority of the House passed two bills that may protect transgender persons’ chosen names. One would allow those who have been found guilty of a felony to change their name to fit their gender identity, and another would require university staff to use a child’s chosen name.
The most recent of a slew of bills that have sparked a regional tug-of-war have been issued across the nation. Democratic lawmakers in Idaho, Kansas, Wyoming, and Louisiana are pursuing bills in the same vein, while Democratic-controlled parliaments like those in Hawaii and New Jersey have introduced bills related to those in Colorado.
On Friday, the proposals caused a number of breaks to discuss what could and couldn’t be said in the well, as well as emotional debate and occasionally tears on the Colorado House floor. Over the course of three hours of discussion, there were wide-eyed wonder and huffs from both parties, which sparked a back-and-forth of quips and charges.
As Democratic Rep. Brianna Titone, a transgender woman, glared at Republicans in the chamber, “I am patently offended by the statement and classification of transgender people with crimes against children.” “I won’t support that,” I retort.
Generally speaking, both bills passed the House on party lines, and they are now going to the Senate for further discussion.
Republicans opposed the bill, which would help those who committed fresh acts to obscure behind a new name, by allowing those convicted of a crime to change their names to reflect their gender identity.
Republican Rep. Richard Holtorf said, “Thank you for helping them if they want to accomplish unlawful activities, thank you for helping them cloak their identity.”
Democrats made it clear that a name change would still need a judge’s approval and that the ability to change a person’s name has been around for centuries in marriage and adoption cases.
Rep. Jennifer Bacon, Democrats’ assistant majority leader, said, “If this was really about saying that people with crimes may not be able to change their names, and not just one group of people, we would have heard that any person who has committed a crime is trying to hide when she wants to get married.”
The second bill that was debated on Friday would require teachers to use students’ chosen names as a form of discrimination. Rep. Jennifer Parenti, a Republican, described how her transgender student first began using their chosen name at college before speaking with her afterward.
“I looked at them and said, ‘I’m sorry if I ever gave you the impression that this wouldn’t be okay,'” Parenti said, wiping tears from her eyes. However, “it makes sense that someone might want to try something like this out in a safe place before talking to their parents about it.”
The bill’s supporters’ main argument is that that’s the main point, arguing that transgender children whose families may not be as accepting are mainly protected by the measure. Republicans’ contentions in turn were that this bill would erode parents’ rights and stifle involvement in their child’s life. The school wouldn’t need to keep parents in the dark, according to the bill.
Bedayn serves on the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative as a corps member. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered topics.
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