Purpose of the Bill

This bill aims to regulate the name change process for individuals in Minnesota, specifically focusing on predatory offenders classified as risk level III. It ensures that the name changes of these individuals are transparent and known to the public, thus enhancing public safety.

Main Provisions

• Courts must determine if a person applying for a name change has a criminal history by conducting background checks using fingerprints and consulting state and national records.
• Anyone with a criminal history who changes their name is required to report this change to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension within ten days. Failure to do so results in being charged with a gross misdemeanor.
• Specific exclusions are provided, whereby the name change procedures in cases of marriage or marriage dissolution are not subjected to the same requirements, except for risk level III offenders.
• Risk level III predatory offenders—those considered most likely to re-offend—must have their name changes reported to the Department of Corrections, the state patrol, and local law enforcement for public disclosure.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill mandates more rigorous reporting and transparency for name changes of risk level III predatory offenders by making these changes public information.
• Courts are prohibited from granting name changes that would result in an offender evading registration as a convicted risk level III predatory offender.

Relevant Terms

• Risk Level III Predatory Offender
• Name Change
• Public Information
• Criminal History
• Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
• Gross Misdemeanor