California Legislature Passes Bill Facilitating Name Changes for Transgender Inmates

Sacramento, CA - September 14, 2017 - The California Legislature today approved a bill that would help ensure that transgender people are recognized for who they are while incarcerated and would increase their likelihood of successful reentry into society on release. Senate Bill (SB) 310, by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), would require corrections officials to use the new name of a transgender person who obtains a name change, and to list the prior name only as an alias.

"Everyone deserves unimpeded access to our courts, whether or not they are incarcerated," said Sen. Atkins. "SB 310 will give those serving time in our prisons the same opportunity that everyone else has to legally change their name or gender and be who they are. I believe this will improve their chances for success after release, and I'm grateful that my colleagues see it the same way."

The current belabored process that an incarcerated transgender person must complete before petitioning the court to change their legal name or gender marker often results in improper denials or no resolution to requests. SB 310 establishes the right of transgender people incarcerated in state prisons or county jails to petition the court directly to change their legal name or gender marker.

"By streamlining the process for name and gender changes, SB 310 helps to minimize abuses and to ensure that transgender inmates will be treated with dignity," said Rick Zbur, executive drector of Equality California. "That in turn will help them to begin their successful reentry into society as their full, authentic selves."

SB 310 is cosponsored by Equality California, St. James Infirmary, the Transgender Gender-Variant Intersex Justice Project, Transgender Law Center, the Western Regional Advocacy Project, the Women's Foundation of California, and the Women's Policy Institute.


Equality California is the nation's largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org

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