ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

 

☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note

HB 2223: name change petition; sex offenders

Sponsor: Representative Nguyen, LD 1

Committee on Judiciary

Overview

Expands reporting requirements for any person who has been convicted of a crime in Arizona or is required to register as a sex offender in any state, when submitting an application to change their name.

History

Statute requires any person who wishes to change his name to file an application that includes the reason for the change as well as the new name in the superior court of the county in which the person resides. A parent or guardian may also file an application on behalf of a minor (A.R.S. § 12-601).

Once an application has been submitted, a court is directed to consider acceptance or denial based on a series of questions the person answers on the application including:

1)   if the person has been convicted of a felony;

2)   if felony charges are pending for, or if the person is knowingly changing their name to commit, theft, forgery, fraud, perjury, or any other offense involving false statements; and

3)   that the person is making the application solely for the best interest of the person (A.R.S. § 12-601).

Provisions

1.   Expands the questions that a person filing for an application must answer, to include:

a.   if the person has been convicted in any state of an offense that required the person to register as a sex offender; and 

b.   if the person, if convicted of any crime in the state of Arizona, has provided a copy of the application to the prosecuting agency of the county where the person was convicted. (Sec. 1)

2.   Requires any person convicted of a crime in the state of Arizona, who is applying for a change name, to provide a copy of the application to the prosecuting agency they were convicted by and, if the victim has requested postconviction notice, directs the prosecuting agency to notify the victim of the application. (Sec. 1)

3.   Mandates that any person who applies for a change of name, and is required to register as a sex offender, must register under his new name and list his prior name as an alias, if a change of name is approved. (Sec. 1)

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7.   Initials NM/NP                HB 2223

8.   1/22/2026  Page 0 Judiciary

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