Democrat lawmakers in Colorado have introduced a new bill that seeks to jail citizens for “misgendering” dead people.
Specifically, the legislation would make “misgendering” a person on their death certificate a crime punishable with fines and up to 120 days in jail.
The Colorado House is scheduled to hold a hearing on February 25 to examine legislation.
The bill, HB25-1109, is titled “Gender Identity Certificate of Death.”
If passed, the legislation would require those who complete death certificates to record the deceased’s sex “to reflect” their “gender identity.”
The death certificate would need to conform to any document presented that “memorializes” the “gender identity” of the deceased.
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 remains.
The legislation is being pushed by three state House Democrat lawmakers.
🚨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
“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 Daily Caller noted.
Alongside morticians, the bill would also affect doctors and government employees.
Dr. Travis Morrell, a senior fellow with the anti-woke, anti-trans medical group Do No Harm, weighed in on the move.
Morrell denounced the legislation as outrageous.
He told the Daily Caller:
“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.”
“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.
Morrell 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 and scientists around the world use death certificate data,” Morrell noted.
Activist Jamie Reed declared herself ready to go to jail over the legislation.
Reed, a self-described lesbian, is a mother of five and the executive director of the Courage Coalition.
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 noted that LGBT advocacy groups have been pushing for similar action “for years.”
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) “lobbied for years” to require both birth and death certificates to reflect someone’s “gender identity” rather than their biological sex, the outlet reported.
States including California, New Jersey, and Rhode Island have enacted laws requiring death certificates to reflect “gender identity” when distinguished from biological sex.
However, 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 Colorado State Reps. Karen McCormick and Kyle Brown as well as State Sen. Mike Weissman.
All three lawmakers are Democrats.
