ACTION ALERT!

Written By Lee Blinder

Calling all trans Marylanders who want to change our names, those of us who have changed our names, and those who support us! The Maryland Senate is currently deciding on SB 581. The companion bill HB 39 has passed the house as of 2/11/21.

Please email or call your State Senator to say you support SB 581, especially if they are on the Judicial Proceedings Committee.

What Does The Bill Do?

• Makes it easier for trans people to legally change our names

• Requires the judge for your name change case to allow you to skip publishing your name change in a newspaper when you request it

• Makes legal name change more affordable (publication costs range from $50-$200)

• Improves the speed of legal name change by removing the publication step (publication can add a few

• Modernizes the name change process (the publication requirement is 100 years old, and predates the social security administration)

• Does NOT change any current legal or criminal codes

What Steps Can I Take?

  1. Find out who your State Senator is, go here.

  2. Call or email the members of the Judicial Proceedings Committee in the State Senate: Chair Will Smith, Co-Chair Jeff Waldstreicher, sponsor of SB0581 Senator Shelly Hettleman, Senator Jill P. Carter, Senator Michael A. Jackson, Senator Susan C. Lee, Senator Charles E. Sydnor, III, Senator Chris West, Senator Michael J. Hough, Senator Robert Cassilly, and Senator Jack Bailey.

  3. In your call or email, share that you Support SB 581 and ask them for their Support for SB 581. Sample email/script below:

    “Hello Senator [SENATOR’S NAME],

    I am writing/calling you today to share that I support SB 581 and the ability of trans folks to change our names without publishing in the newspaper. I would like to ask for you to provide a favorable report for SB 581.

    Thank you!

    {YOUR NAME}

  4. Ask at least 3 friends living in Maryland to also call/email their State Senators!

ACTION ALERT!

Thank you everyone for emailing or calling your State Senator to say you support SB 581, especially if they are on the Judicial Proceedings Committee. After you do so, please tweet that you’ve done so to encourage others to join in! Tag us @TransMaryland


Lee Blinder
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ACTION ALERT!