The bill amends Section 27-31-201 of the Montana Code Annotated to revise the process for change-of-name petitions, particularly concerning individuals who are committed to or under the supervision of the Department of Corrections or incarcerated in a state prison. It establishes that when such individuals file a change-of-name petition, they must serve the petition on the Department of Corrections, which will then have the opportunity to respond.

A significant addition to the law is the requirement that the Department of Corrections must make reasonable efforts to contact victims, as defined in 46-18-243, to gather relevant information for their response to the petition. This change aims to enhance victim involvement and ensure their rights are considered during the name change process. The bill also maintains provisions for sealed-record petitions and the confidentiality of records unless access is granted by the court.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 27-31-201
SB0065_1(1): 27-31-201
SB0065_1(2): 27-31-201
SB0065_1(3): 27-31-201
SB0065_1(4): 27-31-201
SB0065_1(5): 27-31-201
SB0065_1(6): 27-31-201
SB0065_1(7): 27-31-201
SB0065_1: 27-31-201
SB0065_2(1): 27-31-201
SB0065_2(10): 27-31-201
SB0065_2(2): 27-31-201
SB0065_2(3): 27-31-201
SB0065_2(4): 27-31-201
SB0065_2(5): 27-31-201
SB0065_2(6): 27-31-201
SB0065_2(7): 27-31-201
SB0065_2(8): 27-31-201
SB0065_2(9): 27-31-201
SB0065_2: 27-31-201
SB0065_X(1): 27-31-201
SB0065_X(10): 27-31-201
SB0065_X(11): 27-31-201
SB0065_X(2): 27-31-201
SB0065_X(3): 27-31-201
SB0065_X(4): 27-31-201
SB0065_X(5): 27-31-201
SB0065_X(6): 27-31-201
SB0065_X(7): 27-31-201
SB0065_X(8): 27-31-201
SB0065_X(9): 27-31-201
SB0065_X: 27-31-201