LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Despite Democratic lawmakers’ reservations about the change, a largely Republican board on Thursday approved an Arkansas company’s decision to remove “X” as an alternative alongside male and female on state-issued driver’s licenses and identification accounts.
The professional committee of the Arkansas Legislative Council approved the emergency rules for the new policy, which removed a choice that had previously been used by nonbinary and transgender residents. Additionally, the new legislation makes it more difficult for trans people to alter the sex on their Authentication and licenses.
The organization announced that it was revoked a 2010 process that officials claimed violated state rules and had not received proper congressional approval.
“As I reviewed it, it became very apparent to me that, one, it was really no freely authorized,” Finance and Administration Secretary Jim Hudson told the board. The second is that it contravened both legislative law and sensible public policy.
Arkansas is the most recent Republican state to legalize the definition of binary sex, which, according to critics, essentially eliminates transgender and nonbinary people and leaves questions for those who are born with physical characteristics that don’t fit traditional definitions of male or female.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas announced on Thursday that it was challenging a court’s order to stop the Democrat Governor. The trans community’s leadership is prohibited from allowing trans people to alter the sex listed on their license.
At least 22 states and the District of Columbia allow “X” as an alternative. Just about 500 of Arkansas’ 3.1 million active condition-issued pilot’s licenses and IDs have the “X” classification.
Democrats insisted on changing the scheme and on the company’s claim that it was necessary for public safety.
Democratic Sen. Clarke Tucker noted that the state doesn’t need to verify all other information, such as eye color or height, with the same scrutiny.
“Why are we focused only on sex and not all of the data on driver’s licenses”? Tucker said.
By requiring a modified birth certificate, the new legislation makes it more difficult for trans people to change the sex listed on their licenses and IDs. A court order is now required to change the gender on a birth certificate.
Under the new regulations, the designated sex may match a child’s birth certificate, passport or Homeland Security file. Documents allow “X” as an alternative. If a woman’s card lists “X”, the applicant must submit a form choosing male or female.
The ministry will continue to implement the emergency rules for 120 days while developing continuous ones that did receive public feedback. After the entire Congressional Council reviews them on Friday, they will go into effect.
In recent years, Arkansas has passed a number of laws that are concerned with the right of trans individuals. Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who has characterized the shift as reasonable, signed an executive order last year that forbids gender-neutral language from condition files.
Associated Press writer John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this statement.
