An Act prohibiting name-changing for registered sex offenders
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
| Date | Branch | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 3/26/2026 | House | Accompanied a study order, see H5281↗ (under House Rule 27) |
| — | House | Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order |
| 10/20/2025 | Joint | Hearing scheduled for 06/17/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2 |
| 6/11/2025 | Joint | Hearing scheduled for 06/17/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2 |
| 2/27/2025 | Senate | Senate concurred |
| 2/27/2025 | House | Referred to the committee on The Judiciary |
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| J19 | Accompanied | — |
Section 178E of chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:- (r) A sex offender required to register pursuant to sections 178C to 178P, inclusive, shall not hold him or herself out under any other name except the name by which such sex offender registered under this section.
Section 178H of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 4, after the word “information” the following words:- ; or (v) fails to comply with subsection (r) of section 178E.
Section 1D of chapter 46 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:- A party to a marriage who is a sex offender as defined in section 178C of chapter 6 may not adopt or use any other surname than that which such party is required to register pursuant to sections 178C to 178P, inclusive of said chapter 6.
Section 12 of chapter 210 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- No change of name shall be granted for a person listed as a sex offender on the sex offender registry under section 178D of chapter 6.
SECTION 1. Section 178E of chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:- (r) A sex offender required to register pursuant to sections 178C to 178P, inclusive, shall not hold him or herself out under any other name except the name by which such sex offender registered under this section. SECTION 2. Section 178H of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 4, after the word “information” the following words:- ; or (v) fails to comply with subsection (r) of section 178E. SECTION 3. Section 1D of chapter 46 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:- A party to a marriage who is a sex offender as defined in section 178C of chapter 6 may not adopt or use any other surname than that which such party is required to register pursuant to sections 178C to 178P, inclusive of said chapter 6. SECTION 4. Section 12 of chapter 210 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- No change of name shall be granted for a person listed as a sex offender on the sex offender registry under section 178D of chapter 6.