HARRISBURG, Pa. — State lawmakers on Monday spoke about bills that would update Pennsylvania's name-changing laws. If passed, the proposed legislation would ease the burden for transgender individuals in the Commonwealth.
Currently, before a name change is official, transgender Pennsylvanians must hire an attorney who specializes in name changes and publish the filing of the petition in two local newspapers.
Advocates said it shouldn't be so difficult to change a name.
"Your name shouldn't be painful," said Representative Ben Sanchez. "Having access to the government and to the documents without the cost of legal representation or going to court to put yourself on display and at risk for further discrimination or violence shouldn't be a part of the process."
The series of bills will likely face roadblocks if it reaches the state legislature for debate.
The Name Change Legislative Package includes the following proposals:
• Create a new, administrative name change process
• Change new PA-issued birth certificates to no longer include sex designation
• Eliminate the publication requirement and make automatic sealing of records the default
• Eliminate the restrictions for name changes due to prior felonies
• Instate the Transgender Name Change Assistance Grant Program
• Require publicly available information on the name change process, dedicated safe points of contact, and training on how to handle this process
"This legislation would remove an expensive and unnecessary hurdle for Pennsylvanians petitioning for a name change," said Representative Nancy Guenst (D-Montgomery, Philadelphia). "22 other states have already voted the waiving of this requirement into law."