Department of Motor Vehicles

APPROVAL MEMORANDUM - No. 9  Chapter 158

       MEMORANDUM filed with Senate Bill Number 4402-B, entitled:

    "AN  ACT  to amend the civil rights law, the vehicle and traffic law

        and the public health law, in relation to enacting  the  "Gender

        Recognition  Act"; and to repeal subdivision 1 of section 502 of

        the vehicle and traffic law relating to driver's licenses"

    APPROVED

  The Gender Recognition Act removes longstanding barriers  to  equality

under  the law and ensures expanded protections for transgender and non-

binary New Yorkers. The legislation allows New Yorkers to use "X"  as  a

non-binary  sex designation on New York State driver's licenses. It also

ensures that New Yorkers will be able to have their gender  identity  on

official  documents  and  provides  protections to reduce discrimination

against non-binary and transgender New Yorkers by permitting name change

and sex designation changes to  be  sealed  more  easily.  Finally,  the

legislation  will  provide  New Yorkers the ability to amend their birth

certificates and use a designation of mother, father, or parent for  the

first time.

  I have reached an agreement with the Legislature to make several tech-

nical  changes  to  this  Legislation.  Additionally, to ensure a smooth

implementation of the requirements of  the  bill,  the  Legislature  has

agreed  to  provide  the Department of Motor Vehicles a year to meet the

technical challenges posed by  this  bill.  All  other  provisions  will

become effective 180 days from today.

  With these changes, I am pleased to sign this landmark piece of legis-

lation into law.

  This bill is approved.                      (signed) ANDREW M. CUOMO