What's happening
This bill prohibits currently incarcerated or supervised violent felony offenders in New York from legally changing their names.
Why it matters
Aims to prevent violent felony offenders who are currently incarcerated or under supervision from avoiding accountability or public scrutiny by changing their names. , which can impact victims’ ability to track offenders and the public’s right to know offenders’ identities.
Broadens the restriction to include a wide range of serious offenses. (e.g., violent felonies, certain sex crimes, homicide, kidnapping, and human trafficking), reflecting growing concerns about public safety and the potential misuse of legal name changes.
Specifically targets offenders while they are still serving their sentences or under supervision. , not after they have completed all terms, which could affect rehabilitation efforts or reentry programs that sometimes use name changes for protection or reintegration.
Could have implications for privacy, personal safety, and reintegration for individuals who might have legitimate reasons to seek a name change. (such as escaping domestic violence or for gender affirmation), potentially raising civil liberties concerns.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Name Changes for Felons
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
4 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to judiciary
- Referred to judiciary
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
No Name Changes for Felons
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Martin J. Golden
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4461
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 2, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. COLTON, CROUCH, HOOPER, BLAKE, PERRY, RAIA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CYMBROWITZ, MAGEE, McDONOUGH, RIVERA -read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the civil rights law, in relation to prohibiting certain felons from changing their names
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 60 of the civil rights law, as amended by chapter 695 of the laws of 1962, is amended to read as follows:
§ 60. Petition for change of name; exception. 1. A petition for leave to assume another name may be made by a resident of the state to the county court of the county or the supreme court in the county in which he or she resides, or, if he or she resides in the city of New York, either to the supreme court or to any branch of the civil court of the city of New York, in any county of the city of New York. The petition to change the name of an infant may be made by the infant through his or her next friend, or by either of his or her parents, or by his or her general guardian, or by the guardian of his or her person.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision two of section sixty-one of this article, on and after the effective date of this subdivision no petition may be made to change the name of any person who has been convicted (regardless of when such conviction was entered) of a violent felony offense as defined in section 70.02 of the penal law or a felony defined in article one hundred twenty-five of such law or any of the following provisions of such law: section 130.25, 130.30, 130.40, 130.45, 255.25, 255.26, article two hundred sixty-three, section 135.10, 230.05, 230.06, subdivision two of section 230.30, or section 230.32, and who is currently confined as an inmate in any correctional facility or currently under the supervision of the department of corrections and community supervision or a county probation department as a result of such conviction.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04909-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.