ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1588

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 7, 2022

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1588 with committee amendments.

     As amended, 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.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2022-2023 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to permit a public or nonpublic school, institution of higher education, or proprietary institution licensed to offer academic degrees to charge a nominal fee for the reissuance of any document requested by a former student pursuant to this bill.