Transgender advocates have filed a public records request for correspondence between the governor’s office and Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. They want more information about the decision to hold a second public hearing on a proposed ban on gender changes to state driver’s licenses.
The proposed BMV rule seeks to comply with a March executive order from Gov. Mike Braun. He directed state agencies to “enforce the biological binary.” Though, at the time of the order, Braun said it would have little effect.
The formalized process has been in place for about two decades, and LGBTQ+ advocates say some gender marker changes were made even before then.
Emma Vosicky, Gender Nexus executive director, said this summer, the BMV received more than 1,600 comments and two-and-a-half hours of testimony in opposition to the rule.
“After all of that, why is there a need for another hearing right now? What’s that about?” she said. “This isn’t legalistic about can you do it or not — this is about what’s going on that you are doing this.”
Vosicky said the BMV’s own analysis confirmed the rule has “no quantifiable benefit.” But she said, there is undeniable harm if it moves forward.
“The minute that somebody sees that the marker on your driver’s license doesn’t align with you, they are much more likely to discriminate against you,” she said.
READ MORE: Advocates say Braun executive orders tell transgender Hoosiers: 'You don't belong here'
Chris Paulsen is the CEO of IYG, North America’s oldest continuously operating organization for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults. She said policies like the proposed rule are “an orchestrated effort” to target transgender Hoosiers.
“When Indiana shows us that trans and nonbinary and gender diverse people are not welcome, they leave the state,” Paulsen said. “And we’re seeing that in a huge, huge way right now.”
The BMV’s gender marker rule is just one of the changes made by the Braun administration. In March, the Indiana Department of Health issued guidance effectively ending the process for transgender Hoosiers to update their gender on their birth records.
The second public hearing on the rule is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. ET at the Indiana Government Center South.
The public can comment on the rule via mail or e-mail by Nov. 14. The email address is BMVLegal@bmv.in.gov. The mailing address is:
LSA Document #25-321 Credential Documentation Requirements
Kevin Kolbus
Indiana Government Center North
100 North Senate Avenue, Room N404
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Lauren is our digital editor. Contact her at lauren@ipbnews.org or follow her on Bluesky at @laurenechapman.bsky.social.