SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill requiring school districts to update their records to reflect the chosen names and genders of graduates.
Newsom announced Friday that he approved the bill by Democratic Assemblyman David Chiu of San Francisco.
Chiu says his bill will give greater protections to those who are transgender or who identify themselves as having no gender after it takes effect next year, making it easier to apply for college and jobs.
He says old records can also inadvertently reveal that a graduate is transgender when they have not otherwise made the transition public.
California law protects current transgender students from discrimination, but Chiu said some schools have been reluctant to issue new diplomas, GEDs or transcripts to graduates upon request.
The bill is AB711.
