Wisconsin Senate Bill SB312

Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 6/4/25
• Refer: 6/4/25

Caption

Changing an individual’s sex on a birth certificate.

Impact

If enacted, SB312 would alter existing laws which currently permit changes to an individual's sex on legal documents following medical procedures such as sex reassignment surgeries. By prohibiting any updates that would change a birth record to a sex other than the individual's biological sex, the bill may affect many transgender and non-binary individuals seeking legal recognition of their gender. This law represents a significant shift in state policy that may have broad implications for personal rights and legal recognition of gender identity.

Summary

Senate Bill 312 introduces significant amendments to the statutes governing changes to an individual's sex on a birth certificate in Wisconsin. It establishes that an individual's sex cannot be changed based on a surgical sex-change procedure and explicitly requires that any changes made to a birth record can only reflect the individual's biological sex as determined by their sex chromosomes. This bill thereby limits the definitions and processes surrounding gender for legal documentation, anchored firmly in biological determinism.

Contention

Supporters of SB312 might argue that the bill upholds traditional definitions of gender based on biology, reflecting certain ideological views regarding human identity. Conversely, opponents, including LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and civil rights organizations, would likely contest the bill as an infringement on personal rights, asserting that it undermines the autonomy of individuals to define their own gender identity. They may argue that such legislation not only disregards psychological and societal understandings of gender but also potentially exposes individuals to discrimination and marginalization.