An Act to amend 69.11 (4) (b), 69.12 (1), 69.15 (4) (b), 767.395 and 786.36 (1) (intro.); to create 941.2915 of the statutes; Relating to: prohibiting persons who have been convicted of a violent crime from changing their name and providing a penalty.
Summary
SB146 would bar any person convicted of a “violent crime” from legally changing their name in Wisconsin. The bill defines violent crime by reference to existing law and, according to the bill text, includes offenses such as homicide, battery, kidnapping, stalking, human trafficking, and sexual assault. It creates a new criminal offense for violating the prohibition, making an unlawful name change by such a person a Class H felony.
To implement that restriction, the bill amends several statutes governing vital records and court-ordered name changes. It would prevent the state registrar and courts from processing name-change requests that are prohibited under the new section, including changes to birth records, marriage-related records, divorce surname changes, and general court petitions for name changes. The bill also preserves the existing prohibition on name changes for registered sex offenders and cross-references that law in the affected statutes.
Impact
The bill would narrow access to legal name changes for a new category of people: those convicted of violent crimes. It would amend Wisconsin’s vital records and name-change statutes to make clear that state agencies and courts may not approve or record a name change barred by the new violent-crime restriction. It also creates a new Class H felony penalty, which means the bill would add a new criminal offense to the statutes and potentially increase enforcement and prosecution activity related to name-change petitions and record amendments.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill had meaningful support but also substantial opposition. It passed the Senate 18-15 and the Assembly 54-45, indicating a partisan or closely divided response rather than broad consensus. The bill ultimately failed to become law after the governor’s objections, which suggests the proposal was controversial even after legislative approval.
Contention
The main point of contention is whether people convicted of violent crimes should be categorically barred from changing their names, and whether violating that bar should be treated as a felony. Supporters likely viewed the measure as a public-safety and identity-verification tool, while opponents likely objected to the breadth of the restriction, its impact on rehabilitation or privacy, and the creation of a new criminal penalty. The bill also raises implementation questions for courts and vital-records officials because it would require them to screen name-change requests against the new prohibition.
Crossfiled
An Act to amend 69.11 (4) (b), 69.12 (1), 69.15 (4) (b), 767.395 and 786.36 (1) (intro.); to create 941.2915 of the statutes; Relating to: prohibiting persons who have been convicted of a violent crime from changing their name and providing a penalty.