Permits use of preferred names on student diplomas.

S3428

SENATE, No. 3428

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 9, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Permits use of preferred names on student diplomas.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning the use of preferred names on student diplomas
and supplementing chapter 6 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� All public and nonpublic
schools, institutions of higher education, and proprietary institutions
licensed to offer academic degrees shall provide a graduating student with an
option to request that a diploma be conferred by the school or institution listing
the student�s preferred name.� A school or institution shall not require a
graduating student to provide legal documentation sufficient to demonstrate a
legal name or gender change to permit the student to use a preferred name.�

���� A school or institution shall
have the right to deny a preferred name request if the preferred name is
intended to:

���� a.���� misrepresent the
person�s identity or misappropriate the identity of another person;

���� b.��� avoid a legal
obligation;

���� c.���� harm the reputation or
interests of the school or institution; or

���� d.��� be derogatory, obscene,
or otherwise inappropriate.

���� 2.��� a.� A public or
nonpublic school, institution of higher education, or proprietary institution
licensed to offer degrees shall update a former student�s records provided that
the former student provides sufficient documentation that the former student�s
legal name or gender has been changed.� Documents sufficient to demonstrate a
legal name or gender change include, but need not be limit to, the following:

���� (1)�� state-issued driver�s
license;

���� (2)�� birth certificate;

���� (3)�� passport;

���� (4)�� social security card; or

���� (5)�� court order indicating a
name change, gender change, or both.

���� b.��� Upon receipt of proper
documentation sufficient to demonstrate a legal name or gender change, a school
or institution shall reissue any documents conferred upon the former student
with the former student�s updated legal name or gender.� Documents that shall
be reissued by the school or institution upon request include, but need not be
limited to, a transcript or diploma conferred by the school or institution.� A
school or institution may charge a nominal

fee for the reissuance of any
document requested by a former student pursuant to this section.

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect on the first full day of the third month next following the date of
enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill permits graduating
students to use preferred names on diplomas conferred by both public and
nonpublic schools, institutions of higher education, and proprietary
institutions licensed to offer academic degrees.� Graduating students would not
be required to provide legal documentation sufficient to demonstrate a legal
name or gender change in order to use a preferred name.� Schools or
institutions would have the right to deny a preferred name request if the
preferred name is intended to misrepresent the person�s identity or
misappropriate the identity of another person, avoid a legal obligation, harm
the reputation or interests of the school or institution, or be derogatory,
obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

���� Schools and institutions would
also be required to update a former student�s records provided that the former
student provides sufficient documentation demonstrating a legal name or gender
change.� Acceptable documents would include a state-issued driver�s license,
birth certificate, passport, social security card, or court order indicating a
legal name or gender change, or both.� Upon receipt of proper documentation
sufficient to demonstrate a legal name or gender change, a school or
institution would also be required to reissue any documents conferred upon the
former student with the former student�s updated legal name or gender upon
request.� Documents that could be reissued include, but not necessarily limited
to, a transcript or diploma conferred by the school or institution.� Schools
and institutions would be permitted to charge a nominal fee for the reissuance
of any document requested by a former student pursuant to this bill.