(LifeSiteNews) — A Colorado bill that would make “misgendering” a person on their death certificate a crime punishable by up to 120 days in jail will be heard on Wednesday.
HB25-1109, titled “Gender Identity Certificate of Death,” would, if passed, require those complete death certificates to record the deceased’s sex “to reflect” their “gender identity.” The death certificate would need to be conformed to any document presented that “memorializ(es)” the “gender identity” of the deceased.
🚨Apparently modifying birth certificates to replace a person’s “sex” with “gender identity” wasn’t enough.
Now activists are worried about misgendering the DEAD, and 3 CO Dems have introduced a bill requiring death certificates to reflect a deceased person’s “gender identity.” pic.twitter.com/4Q84pf1YnL
— Colin Wright (@SwipeWright) February 13, 2025
If not presented with such a document, the individual completing the death certificate would have to record the deceased’s sex “as reported by the individual with the right to control the disposition of” the deceased’s remains.
“Misgendering” the deceased would, as a Class 2 misdemeanor, be punished by up to 120 days in jail or up to $750 in fines. The bill would affect doctors and government employees as well as morticians, the Daily Caller noted.
Dr. Travis Morrell, a senior fellow with the anti-woke, anti-trans medical group Do No Harm, denounced the legislation as outrageous.
“It’s dangerous and absolutely nuts to threaten doctors with a misdemeanor if they won’t forge a death certificate. But it’s what I’d expect in Colorado,” Dr. Morrell told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“The first thing you learn in middle school science is to write in your lab book with a pen; honest data recording is science 101,” Morrell added.
He stressed that adhering to biological reality when recording death certificates is far from an arbitrary matter.
“Death certificates aren’t buried when you die,” he said. “They’re evidence in court. They’re data for medical and public health research. Death certificates help doctors predict cancer survival or the deadliness of infectious or environmental agents.”
“The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and scientists around the world use death certificate data,” Morrell noted.
Jamie Reed, a mother of five, self-described lesbian and executive director of the Courage Coalition, declared herself ready to go to jail over the legislation, although it is unclear whether she would ever be in the position of signing a death certificate.
A bill is being heard in Colorado on Wednesday. It will make misgendering a crime punishable by a $1000 fine or 12 days in jail.
I can meal plan for 12 days and make sure my kids will be cared for. Happy to go to jail for this one. This is insane. @Erin4Parents @5280BasedHomo…
— Jamie Reed Whistleblower (@JamieWhistle) February 14, 2025
The Daily Caller has pointed out that LGBT advocacy groups such as Human Rights Campaign (HRC) “have lobbied for years” to require both birth and death certificates to reflect someone’s “gender identity” rather than their biological sex.
States including California, New Jersey and Rhode Island have enacted laws requiring death certificates to reflect “gender identity” when distinguished from biological sex, according to the Daily Caller, although the majority do not designate criminal punishments.
Colorado currently permits residents to change the sex indicated on their driver’s licenses and birth certificates.
HB25-1109 is sponsored by Democratic Colorado state Reps. Karen McCormick and Kyle Brown as well as state Sen. Mike Weissman.