Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB65: Revise change-of-name laws
Status: Signed into law, May 8, 2025
What the bill says
An act revising change-of-name laws; providing for department of corrections authority to contact victims when responding to change-of-name petitions; and amending section 27-31-201, mca.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT REVISING CHANGE-OF-NAME LAWS; PROVIDING FOR DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AUTHORITY TO CONTACT VICTIMS WHEN RESPONDING TO CHANGE-OF-NAME PETITIONS; AND AMENDING SECTION 27-31-201, MCA. Section 1. Section 27-31-201, MCA, is amended to read: "27-31-201. Order setting hearing date -- notice -- safety. (1) When a petition setting out the matters contained in 27-31-101 or 27-31-102 is filed, the court or judge may appoint a time for hearing the petition. Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3), notice of the time and place of hearing the petition must be published for 4 successive weeks in some newspaper published in the county, if a newspaper is printed in the county. If a newspaper is not printed in the county, a copy of the notice must be posted in at least three public places in the county for 4 successive weeks. (2) Publication is not required for a change of name of a minor under 27-31-101 if both parents and all legal guardians consent in writing. (3) The court may allow a petition to proceed on a sealed-record basis when probable cause is shown that the safety of the petitioner is at risk and the judge is satisfied that the petitioner is not attempting to avoid debt or to hide a criminal record. The request to proceed on a sealed-record basis must …
Sponsors
- Vance, Shelley (R, 34) · primary sponsor
- Kelly, Steven (R, 9)
Latest actions
- : Chapter Number Assigned
- : (S) Signed by Governor
- : (S) Transmitted to Governor
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (S) Returned from Enrolling
- : (S) Sent to Enrolling
- : (H) 3rd Reading
- : (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- : (H) 2nd Reading
Votes
- Do Concur (April 11, 2025): 98 yea, 1 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 10, 2025): 99 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Do Pass (February 3, 2025): 49 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Do Pass (January 31, 2025): 50 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Crimes, Corrections, Civil Procedure
Common questions
- What is SB65?
- SB65 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Revise change-of-name laws.
- What does SB65 do?
- In its own words: An act revising change-of-name laws; providing for department of corrections authority to contact victims when responding to change-of-name petitions; and amending section 27-31-201, mca.
- What is the status of SB65?
- Signed into law as of May 8, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 8, 2025).
- Who sponsored SB65?
- Vance, Shelley (R, 34), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for SB65?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0298
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.