Senate Bill 217 aims to amend the current law regarding name change petitions in Wisconsin by eliminating the publication requirement for individuals seeking a name change to align with their gender identity. Under existing law, individuals must publish a notice of their petition in a local newspaper for three consecutive weeks unless they meet certain exceptions. This bill introduces an additional exception specifically for those seeking a name change to conform with their gender identity, allowing them to request confidentiality without needing to demonstrate that publication could endanger them, although they must still prove they are not seeking the name change to evade debt or conceal a criminal record.

The bill renumbers and amends section 786.37 (4) of the statutes, replacing the phrase "his or her" with "the petitioner" for clarity. It also creates new subsections that outline the criteria for confidentiality in name change petitions, specifically stating that one of the conditions for confidentiality is that the petitioner is seeking a name change to conform with their gender identity. This legislation is set to take effect six months after its publication, applying to petitions filed on or after that date.