Assembly Bill 215 aims to amend the current law regarding name change petitions in Wisconsin by eliminating the publication requirement for individuals seeking to change their names to align with their gender identity. Under existing law, individuals must publish a notice of their name change 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.

The bill modifies the language in the law to clarify that individuals requesting a confidential name change must still prove they are not attempting to evade debts or conceal criminal records. However, they are no longer required to show that publication could pose a danger to them. The proposed changes include renumbering and amending existing statutes and creating new subsections to outline these exceptions clearly. The bill is set to take effect six months after publication, applying to petitions filed on or after that date.