State Representative Quang Nguyen (R-1) is celebrating the signing of House Bill 2223 into law by Governor Katie Hobbs (D-AZ).
The bill tightens regulations surrounding legal name changes, specifically in the case of registered sex offenders, by requiring sworn disclosures and notice to prosecutors.
Additionally, notification for victims is strengthened, and if a registered sex offender is given a court-approved name change, the registration records remain active under the new name, with their prior name retained as an alias.
In effect, registered sex offenders cannot change their name as a means of concealing their identities and avoiding accountability, while their victims are kept aware of their attacker's activities.
Notably, the bill passed the Arizona House of Representatives without a single dissenting vote amid all 57 members in February, and passed the Arizona Senate unanimously as well.
"Sex offenders should not be able to change their name and slip through cracks that put Arizona families at risk," said State Rep. Nguyen in a press release. "This bill closes a loophole and locks in accountability. Victims deserve to know when the person who harmed them is trying to change identities through the courts. If you are required to register, you will not use a name change to hide your past, dodge scrutiny, or erase your trail."
House Bill 2223 comes on the heels of HB 2307, introduced by State Senator Hildy Angius (R-30), being signed into law late last week. The bill requires criminals who are deemed dangerous and incompetent to stand trial to be held in out-of-state facilities if no beds in Arizona treatment facilities are available.
State Senate President Warren Petersen (R-14) celebrated on social media, writing, ""Senator @SenatorAngius worked hard to get this done! She stepped up to lead when the governor failed to keep AZ safe from this killer. Thank you Senator Angius!"
