Text of NJ A 2132 (2024)

ASSEMBLY, No. 2132 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 221st LEGISLATURE PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION Sponsored by: Assemblyman WILLIAM F. MOEN, JR. District 5 (Camden and Gloucester) Co-Sponsored by: Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson and Assemblyman Wimberly SYNOPSIS Permits use of preferred names on student diplomas. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel. 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 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 and institutions 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 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 is 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 are not 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.