Michigan: House Democrats push bill allowing trans people to change their name without having to run a criminal background check

Michigan House Democrats introduced two bills that would allow trans people to change their names without the need to "run a state and federal criminal background check."

The state’s House Judiciary Committee held the hearing on bills 5300-5303. There, Representative Laurie Pohutsky - who introduced the bill - declared that it "really doesn't matter" whether someone can change their sex without the need for a background check, and that this really is a "philosophical" discussion.

Eliminate state and federal background checks

According to the text introduced, bills 5300 - 5303 would do all of the following:

- "Eliminate a presumption in law that a person who is seeking to change their legal name must be doing so for a fraudulent reason if they have a criminal record."

- "Eliminate the requirement that a person 22 or older who is seeking a name change must submit fingerprints for state and federal criminal background checks."

- "Expand reasons for which a court can waive publication requirements regarding a name change, notably to include affirmation of the person’s gender."

- " Eliminate the requirement for a doctor’s affidavit of surgery before a new birth certificate that shows a sex designation other than the one assigned at birth can be issued."

- "Allow a person to indicate a sex designation of "M", "F," or "X" for a driver's license, state personal ID card, or new birth certificate, without no additional documentation or certification required."

- "Allow driver's licenses and state personal ID cards to be reissued without charge to update a sex designation."

2023-HLA-5300-933B1C77 by Veronica Silveri on Scribd

Different groups and organizations such as Equality Michigan Action Network have supported the measure, calling previous requirements for legal name changes "obstacles."