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CA Senate Bill 179

Legislation

State: California
Signed: October 15, 2017

Effective: January 01, 2019
Chapter: 853

Summary

Senate Bill 179 allows an individual to choose the descriptor "nonbinary" on their state driver's license or ID, and Notaries will encounter IDs with this gender descriptor.

Affects

Amends Section 12800 of the Vehicle Code.

Changes
  1. Requires an applicant for an original driver's license or renewal of a driver's license to choose a gender category of female, male or nonbinary.
Analysis

In 2017, the California Legislature passed, and the Governor signed, Senate Bill 179. This bill enacts several provisions related to gender transition and procedures for updating their gender transition on state-issued identity documents. This bill affects Notaries because after January 1, 2019 driver’s licenses and state-issued identification cards may contain the descriptor “non-binary” as a card bearer’s gender. In attempting to verify a document signer’s identity, Notaries will need to be mindful of this new descriptor.

Read Senate Bill 179.

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