A bill requiring utility, water works, and phone companies to respect the names and pronouns of customers has already passed both houses of the State Legislature, but embattled Governor Andrew Cuomo has yet to sign it — and now dozens of local and national LGBTQ groups are pushing him to approve the bill once and for all.
Customers seeking to update their names and pronouns with the companies have faced numerous barriers — including a requirement that folks produce a court order to prove updated information, according to a letter 57 groups sent to Cuomo urging him to sign the bill. Dubbed the Affirming Gender Identity in Utilities Act, the legislation would require companies to give customers the option to request the use of their correct names and pronouns across written and verbal communication and documentation.
