This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 1:43 PM by housengrossing.
Representative Sahara Hayes proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
VITAL RECORD INFORMATION MODIFICATIONS

2     
2024 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Sahara Hayes

5     
Senate Sponsor: Jen Plumb

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies provisions related to name and sex designation changes.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     requires an individual when petitioning the court for a name or sex designation
13     change to indicate on the petition whether the individual is registered with the Sex
14     and Kidnap Offender Registry; and
15          ▸     authorizes the court to obtain additional information from an individual that is
16     registered with the Sex and Kidnap Offender Registry to determine whether to grant
17     a name or sex designation change petition.
18     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19          None
20     Other Special Clauses:
21          None
22     Utah Code Sections Affected:
23     AMENDS:
24          26B-8-111, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 306 and
25     repealed and reenacted by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 493 and last amended by
26     Coordination Clause, Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 306
27          42-1-1, as Utah Code Annotated 1953
28     

29     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
30          Section 1. Section 26B-8-111 is amended to read:
31          26B-8-111. Birth certificate name or sex designation change -- Registration of
32     court order and amendment of birth certificate.
33          (1) An individual may obtain a court order in accordance with Title 42, Names, to
34     change the name on the individual's birth certificate.
35          (2) (a) A court may grant a petition ordering a sex designation change on a birth
36     certificate if the court determines by clear and convincing evidence that the individual seeking
37     the sex designation change:
38          (i) is not involved in any kind of lawsuit;
39          (ii) is not on probation or parole;
40          (iii) is not seeking the amendment:
41          (A) to commit a crime;
42          (B) to interfere with the rights of others;
43          (C) to avoid creditors;
44          (D) to influence the sentence, fine, or conditions of imprisonment in a criminal case;
45          (E) to commit fraud on the public; or
46          (F) for any other fraudulent purpose;
47          (iv) has transitioned from the sex designation of the biological sex at birth to the sex
48     sought in the petition;
49          (v) has outwardly expressed as the sex sought in the petition in a consistent and
50     uniform manner for at least six months; and
51          (vi) suffers from clinically significant distress or impairment due to the current sex
52     designation on the birth certificate.
53          (b) The court shall consider the following when making the determination described in
54     Subsection (2)(a)(iv):
55          (i) evidence of medical history, care, or treatment related to sex transitioning; and
56          (ii) evidence that the sex sought in the petition is sincerely held and part of the
57     individual's core identity.
58          (c) (i) An individual petitioning for a sex designation change under this section shall
59     indicate on the petition whether the individual is registered with the state's Sex and Kidnap
60     Offender Registry.
61          (ii) Based on the disclosure described in Subsection (2)(c)(i), the court may request
62     additional information from an individual who is registered with the state's Sex and Kidnap
63     Offender Registry to determine whether to grant a petition under this section.
64          (3) (a) (i) When determining whether to grant a sex designation change for a child who
65     is at least 15 years and six months old, unless the child is emancipated, the court shall appoint,
66     notwithstanding Subsection 78A-2-703(1), a guardian ad litem for the child.
67          (ii) Notwithstanding Subsection 78A-2-703(7), the child's parent or guardian is
68     responsible for the costs of the guardian ad litem's services unless the court determines the
69     parent or guardian is indigent in accordance with Section 78A-2-302.
70          (b) The guardian ad litem shall provide the court relevant evidence, whether submitted
71     by the child or other sources of evidence, regarding the following:
72          (i) whether the child is capable of making decisions with long-term consequences
73     independently of the child's parent or guardian;
74          (ii) whether the child is mature and capable of appreciating the implications of the
75     decision to change the sex designation on the child's birth certificate; and
76          (iii) whether the child meets the other requirements of this section.
77          (c) The guardian of a child described in Subsection (3)(a) shall:
78          (i) give notice of the proceeding to any known parent of the child; and
79          (ii) provide the court with a declaration of the status of any divorce or custody matter
80     pertaining to the child, including the case name, case number, court, judge, and current status
81     of the case.
82          (d) The court shall:
83          (i) consider any objection given by a parent;
84          (ii) close the hearing on a petition for a sex designation change;
85          (iii) receive all evidence; and
86          (iv) make a determination as to whether:
87          (A) all of the requirements of Subsection (2) have been met; and
88          (B) the evidence supports a finding by clear and convincing evidence that the sex
89     designation change is in the best interest of the child and would not create a risk of harm to the
90     minor.
91          (4) (a) A court may not grant a petition for a sex designation change if:
92          (i) the birth certificate is for a child who is younger than 15 years and six months old;
93     or
94          (ii) the child's parent or guardian with legal custody has not given permission.
95          (b) An order granting a sex designation change under this section is not effective until
96     the individual is at least 16 years old.
97          (5) A petition for a sex designation under this section may be combined with a petition
98     under Title 42, Names.
99          (6) (a) Upon the receipt of a certified order granting a birth certificate amendment, any
100     required application, and an appropriate fee, the department shall issue:
101          (i) a birth certificate that does not indicate which fields were amended unless requested
102     by the individual; and
103          (ii) an amendment history of the birth certificate, including the fields of the birth
104     certificate that have been amended and the date of the amendment.
105          (b) The department shall retain a record of all amendments to a birth certificate,
106     including any amendment history issued by the department.
107          (7) The provisions of this section are severable.
108          (8) This section only applies to birth certificates issued by the state.
108a      Ĥ→ (9) The provisions of Title 76, Chapter 8, Part 5, Falsification in Official Matters, apply to
108b     this section when applicable. ←Ĥ
109          Section 2. Section 42-1-1 is amended to read:
110          42-1-1. By petition to district court -- Contents.
111          (1) Any natural person, desiring to change [his] the natural person's name, may file a
112     petition [therefor] in the district court of the county where [he] the natural person resides,
113     setting forth:
114          [(1)] (a) [The] the cause for which the change of name is sought[.];
115          [(2)] (b) [The] the name proposed[.]; and
116          [(3)] (c) [That he] that the natural person has been a bona fide resident of the county
117     for the year immediately prior to the filing of the petition.
118          (2) (a) A natural person petitioning for a name change under this section shall indicate
119     on the petition whether the individual is registered with the state's Sex and Kidnap Offender
120     Registry.
121          (b) The court may request additional information from a natural person who is
122     registered with the state's Sex and Kidnap Offender Registry to make the determination
123     described in Subsection 77-41-105(8).
123a     Ĥ→ (3) The provisions of Title 76, Chapter 8, Part 5, Falsification in Official Matters, apply to
123b     this title when applicable. ←Ĥ
124          Section 3. Effective date.
125          This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.