Bill > S02431

This bill requires the office of court administration, county clerks, and other records custodians to develop comprehensive policies and procedures to protect the privacy of individuals involved in name change and sex designation change legal actions in New York. Specifically, the bill mandates that any documents or electronic records related to these actions must be completely inaccessible to the public, both in-person and online, immediately upon filing. Only the petitioner, the person whose name or sex designation is being changed, their attorney, or those with a court-approved "good cause" can access these records. Within 90 days of the bill's effective date, all existing name change and sex designation change records must be removed from public view. The bill also allows individuals whose records were previously filed to request the removal of their identifying information from public databases at any time, even if they did not originally request privacy. While protecting personal information, the bill still allows non-identifying administrative details like case index numbers, court names, and case status to remain visible. The goal is to provide enhanced privacy protections for individuals undergoing legal name or sex designation changes, recognizing the sensitive nature of these personal legal processes.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2431