SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2615

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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SENATE, September 29, 2025.

The committee on The Judiciary to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1045) of Joanne M. Comerford, Mindy Domb, Brendan P. Crighton, Jason M. Lewis and other members of the General Court for legislation to protect personal security before a decree of a change of name, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2615).

For the committee,

Lydia Edwards

        FILED ON: 9/18/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2615

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act  An Act protecting personal security.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 210 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 13, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 13. (a) The court shall, before decreeing a change of name, request a report from the commissioner of probation on the person filing the petition and, upon entry of a decree, the name as established thereby shall be the legal name of the petitioner, and the register may issue a certificate, under the seal of the court, of the name as so established. The court may, for good cause shown, require public notice of the petition to be given and any person to be heard thereon.

No decree shall be entered, however, until there has been filed in the court a copy of the birth record of the person whose name is sought to be changed and, in case such person's name has previously been changed by decree of court or at marriage pursuant to section 1D of chapter 46, either a copy of the record of such person’s birth amended to conform to the previous decree changing the person’s name, a copy of such decree or a copy of the record of marriage; provided, that the filing of any such copy may be dispensed with if the judge is satisfied that it cannot be obtained.

(b) The petition for name change, all pleadings, papers or documents filed in connection therewith, and docket entries in the permanent docket and record books, online and otherwise, shall not be available for inspection unless the court, for good cause shown, otherwise orders or unless requested by the petitioner. The petition, reports, pleadings, papers, documents and permanent docket and record books shall be segregated.