HOUSE BILL 198

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Gail Chasey

AN ACT

RELATING TO GENDER-NEUTRAL LANGUAGE IN LEGISLATIVE DOCUMENTS; REQUIRING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SERVICE TO USE GENDER-NEUTRAL LANGUAGE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. LEGISLATIVE DOCUMENTS--GENDER-NEUTRAL LANGUAGE--LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SERVICE.--

          A. As used in this section:

                (1) "gender-neutral" means language that does not expressly or implicitly refer to one gender to the real or apparent exclusion of the other and expressly or implicitly refers to both genders without distinguishing between them; and

                (2) "gender-specific" means language that expressly or implicitly refers to one gender to the real or apparent exclusion of the other or expressly or implicitly refers to both genders and distinguishes between them.

          B. Except as limited in Subsection C of this section, the legislative council service shall use gender-neutral language in drafting bills to enact, amend or revise laws and in drafting memorials, resolutions and other legislative documents; provided that gender-neutral language shall not be used if language is intended or required to be gender-specific or the intended meaning of language would otherwise be altered.

          C. Whenever current laws and other published legislative documents are the subject of a legislative request to the legislative council service for amendment or revision, the legislative council service as part of its work shall replace gender-specific language with gender-neutral language where appropriate and reasonable.

- 2 -