The bill amends the existing law regarding the name changes of divorced individuals in Michigan, specifically updating the title and language to be more inclusive. The title is changed from "An act to provide for changing and determining the names of divorced women" to "An act to provide for changing and determining the names of individuals." Additionally, the language in Section 1 is revised to replace gender-specific terms with more neutral terms, allowing any party involved in a divorce—whether a plaintiff or defendant—to request the restoration of their birth name or to adopt a new surname, provided there is no fraudulent intent.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the procedural language by changing "decree" to "judgment" and "instance" to "request," thereby clarifying the process for name changes during divorce proceedings. The bill stipulates that the changes will only take effect if certain resolutions become part of the state constitution, ensuring that the amendments align with broader legal frameworks.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 552.391