A new law in Illinois making it easier for people to change their names is being lauded by transgender advocates.
The legislation, which Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law Feb. 7, repeals a former requirement that name changes be published in a newspaper. Twenty-five other states don’t have this requirement, including Texas and Florida. It goes into effect March 1.
The law also sets a three-month Illinois residency requirement to petition a judge for a name change and allows people to request that their name change records be kept private in cases where public disclosure could affect their health or safety.
“Our residents deserve to be able to change their name in private and without worry for their well-being or safety,” said State Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), who sponsored the bill in the State Senate. “Requiring those seeking a name change to publish such change with a local newspaper relinquishes their privacy and poses a threat to the confidentiality of personally identifiable information.”
State Rep. Kevin Olickal (D-Chicago), who sponsored the bill in the State House, said the law will “prevent the misuse of state records for political purposes, protecting vulnerable communities from harm.”
Michael Ziri, director of public policy at Equality Illinois, said the previous requirement that name changes be published in a newspaper “creates a public list of trans people that puts them at real risk for harassment and harm.”
Eliminating that requirement will improve the safety for trans people across Illinois, Ziri said.
Avi Rudnick, director of legal services at the Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois, said the new law will reduce fear among transgender people to have their names changed amid a political climate that’s hostile toward the community.
The Transformative Justice Law Project has helped more than 4,000 people with gender-affirming name changes since 2011, including more than 900 in 2024, Rudnick said.
“We have witnessed the fear of our clients, many who are survivors of violence, as this new administration advances an anti-transgender and anti-immigrant platform,” Rudnick said. “The increased privacy provided by this bill with the removal of the publication requirement will have a significant impact on the safety of transgender people.”
Channyn Lynne Parker, CEO of Brave Space Alliance, called the law a “monumental step forward for trans and nonbinary people across Illinois.”
“For too long, the process of securing a name that reflects who we truly are has been riddled with unnecessary barriers, disproportionately impacting those who are already navigating systemic marginalization,” Parker said. “This is an acknowledgment that our names are not just labels—they are affirmations of our existence, our dignity, and our right to live authentically.”
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