name change petition; sex offenders

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details on how to handle individuals who have already changed their names while required to register as sex offenders.

Name Change Petition for Sex Offenders

This law requires individuals who are required to register as sex offenders and apply for a name change to disclose their status under penalty of perjury and notify relevant authorities.

What This Bill Does

• Requires an applicant for a name change to indicate, under penalty of perjury, whether the applicant has been convicted in any state of an offense that requires them to register as a sex offender.
• If someone was convicted in another state, they must serve a copy of their application to both the prosecuting agency where they were convicted and the county attorney where they are filing the application.
• Victims or prosecutors can be notified about name change applications if the person was convicted of certain offenses.
• The court must order a sex offender who gets their name changed to register under the new name and use their old name as an alias.

Who It Names or Affects

• People required to register as sex offenders
• Victims of crimes involving false statements or misrepresentations about identity
• Prosecutors

Terms To Know

sex offender

A person who has been convicted of certain sexual offenses and is required by law to register with the police.

penalty of perjury

A legal statement that someone will tell the truth when signing a document, or they could be punished for lying.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if someone fails to follow these new requirements.
• It is unclear how this law will affect people who have already changed their name and are required to register as sex offenders.

Official Summary Text

HB2223 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2223

name change petition;
sex offenders

Purpose

Outlines
additional requirements for individuals required to register as sex offenders
who apply for a change of name.

Background

A person who
desires to change their name may file an application in the superior court in
the county of residence, setting forth the reasons for the requested change of
name and the name the person wishes to adopt. An applicant must indicate under
penalty of perjury whether the applicant has been convicted of a felony,
whether felony charges are pending for certain offenses, whether the name
change is sought to further unlawful conduct and that the application is made
in the applicant's best interest. A victim or prosecutor has standing to
contest a legal name change before entry of judgment or within one year after
entry of judgment.

On entering a
conviction for specified offenses involving false statements or
misrepresentations about identity, the superior court may set aside a
previously granted change of name judgment or deny a pending application. Upon
request, the court may seal a change of name application and judgment for a
person who is protected under an order of protection or injunction against
harassment or who is a victim of stalking and the sealed information is not a
public record (
A.R.S.
� 12-601
).

A person
convicted of certain offenses must register as a sex offender and provide
identifying information to the sheriff in the county of residence. A person
required to register must update registration information when changes occur
and must comply with statutory registration requirements as prescribed (
A.R.S.
� 13-3821
).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund
associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.

Requires an applicant for a change of name to indicate, under penalty of
perjury, whether the applicant has been convicted in any state of an offense
for which the applicant is required to register as a sex offender.

2.

Requires a convicted applicant to indicate whether the applicant has
served a copy of the name change application to the prosecuting agency in the
county of conviction.

3.

Requires an applicant who was convicted in another state to serve a copy
of the application to the prosecuting agency in the jurisdiction of conviction
and the county attorney in the county where the application is filed.

4.

Requires the prosecuting agency to notify a victim who has requested
post-conviction notice of the application for change of name and the victim's
right to contest the application.

5.

Requires the court, if the court grants a name change for a person
required to register as a sex offender, to order the person to register under
the new name and to use the prior name as an alias.

6.

Requires the court to provide a copy of the order to the sheriff of the
county in which the person currently resides.

7.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

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Prepared by Senate Research

March 2, 2026

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Current Bill Text

Chapter 0022 - 572R - H Ver of HB2223

House Engrossed

name change petition;
sex offenders

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

CHAPTER 22

HOUSE BILL 2223

AN
ACT

AMENDING SECTION 12-601, ARIZONA
REVISED STATUTES; RELATING TO change of name.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 12-601, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
12-601.

Application;
venue; judgment; sealing of record

A. A person who desires to change the person's name
and to adopt another name may file an application in the superior court in the
county of the person's residence, setting forth reasons for the change of name
and the name the person wishes to adopt. The court may enter
judgment that the adopted name of the party be substituted for the original
name.� The court shall consider the criteria under subsection C of this section
in determining whether to enter judgment that the adopted name of the party be
substituted for the original name.

B. The parent, guardian ad litem or next friend of a
minor may file an application for change of the name of the minor in the county
of the minor's residence. The court shall consider the best
interests of the minor and the criteria that apply to the minor under
subsection C of this section in determining whether to enter judgment that the
name of the minor be changed.

C. A person who files an application for change of
name shall indicate under penalty of perjury:

1. If the person has been convicted of a felony.

2. If felony charges are pending in any jurisdiction
against the person for any offense under title 13, chapter 18, 20, 21, 22, 23
or 27 or any other offense involving false statements or misrepresentations
about the person's identity.

3. If the person is knowingly changing the person's
name to that of another individual for the purpose of committing or furthering
the commission of any offense under title 13, chapter 18, 20, 21, 22, 23 or 27
or any other offense involving false statements.

4. The person is making the application solely for
the best interest of the person.

5. The person acknowledges that the change of name
will not release the person from any obligations incurred or harm any rights of
property or actions in the original name.

6. If the person has been convicted
in any state of an offense for which the person is required to register as a
sex offender.

7. If the person has served a copy of
the application with the prosecuting agency of the county in which the person
was convicted pursuant to subsection D of this section.

D. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a victim
as defined in section 13-4401 or a prosecutor has standing to contest any legal
name change at any time before the entry of judgment or up to one year after
entry of judgment.
If the person who files an
application for change of name was convicted in this state, the person shall
serve a copy of the application with the prosecuting agency of the county in
which the person was convicted.� If the victim has requested postconviction
notice, the prosecuting agency of the county in which the person was convicted
shall notify the victim of the application for change of name and the victim's
right to contest the name change.�
If the person who
files an application for change of name was convicted in another state, the
person shall serve a copy of the application with the prosecuting agency in the
jurisdiction in which the person was convicted and the County Attorney in the
County in which the person filed the application.

E. On entering a conviction for an offense under
title 13, chapter 18, 20, 21, 22, 23 or 27 or any other offense involving false
statements or misrepresentations about the person's identity, the superior
court may enter an order setting aside a change of name judgment or deny any
pending application.

F. On request of a person who files an application
for a change of name, the court may seal the change of name application and
judgment.� The information in the application and judgment shall not be
disclosed and is not a public record.� A person who obtained a judgment on or
after January 1, 2009 may request that the court seal the application and
judgment pursuant to this subsection. For the purposes of this
subsection, "person" means a person who is protected under an order
of protection or injunction against harassment or a person who is the victim of
an offense involving stalking as prescribed in section 13-2923 or an offense
committed in another jurisdiction that if committed in this state would be a
violation or attempted violation of section 13-2923.

G. If the court grants an application
for a change of name for a person who is required to register pursuant to
section 13-3821, the court shall order the person to register under the
person's new name and to use the person's prior name as an alias.� a copy of
the order shall be provided to the sheriff of the county in which the person
CURRENTLY resides.
END_STATUTE

APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR APRIL 7, 2026.

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 7, 2026.