Mississippi has passed a law preventing transgender people from changing their gender on driving licenses. Both state chambers approved the law on 31 March. It is a controversial provision in a broader immigration bill.

Under the new rule, Mississippi driving licenses must only show the gender recorded at birth. Transgender residents cannot practically change this anymore. The law allows only limited exceptions for clerical errors or medical conditions. This restriction is hidden in a bill mainly intended for identifying non-citizens.

Republican Governor Tate Reeves still needs to sign the bill. Reeves previously backed laws blocking gender-affirming care for young people and excluding transgender athletes from competitions. Democratic politicians urge him to reject the proposal. They argue the driving licence provision has nothing to do with road safety. Senator Rod Hickman called the 'sex at birth' requirement the bill's most problematic part.

Mississippi follows other states taking similar measures on transgender identification documents.