Name change; proof that applicant is citizen of United States. (HB151)
Introduced By
Sen. Lynwood Lewis (D-Accomac) with support from co-patron Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Burke)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✓ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Name change; proof that the applicant is a citizen of Virginia. Requires that every application for a change of name contain proof that the applicant is a citizen of the Commonwealth. Read the Bill »
Status
03/13/2008: failed house
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
12/21/2007 | Committee |
12/21/2007 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 088328596 |
12/21/2007 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
01/10/2008 | Assigned Courts sub: Civil |
01/21/2008 | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment (20-Y 1-N) |
01/21/2008 | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (20-Y 1-N) (see vote tally) |
01/23/2008 | Read first time |
01/24/2008 | Read second time |
01/24/2008 | Committee amendments agreed to |
01/24/2008 | Engrossed by House as amended HB151E |
01/24/2008 | Printed as engrossed 088328596-E |
01/25/2008 | Read third time and passed House (94-Y 3-N) |
01/25/2008 | VOTE: --- PASSAGE (94-Y 3-N) (see vote tally) |
01/25/2008 | Communicated to Senate |
01/28/2008 | Constitutional reading dispensed |
01/28/2008 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
02/12/2008 | Assigned Courts sub: Civil |
02/18/2008 | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (8-Y 7-N) (see vote tally) |
02/19/2008 | Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/20/2008 | Read third time |
02/20/2008 | Reading of amendments waived |
02/20/2008 | Committee amendments agreed to |
02/20/2008 | Engrossed by Senate as amended |
02/20/2008 | Passed Senate with amendments (34-Y 5-N) |
02/20/2008 | Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (38-Y 0-N) |
02/20/2008 | Passed Senate with amendments (34-Y 6-N) |
02/21/2008 | Placed on Calendar |
02/22/2008 | Passed by for the day |
02/25/2008 | Senate amendments rejected by House (4-Y 92-N) |
02/25/2008 | VOTE: --- REJECTED (4-Y 92-N) |
02/27/2008 | Senate insisted on amendments (40-Y 0-N) |
02/27/2008 | Senate requested conference committee |
02/28/2008 | House acceded to request |
02/29/2008 | Conferees appointed by House |
02/29/2008 | Delegates: Lewis, Griffith, Miller, J.H. |
03/03/2008 | Conferees appointed by Senate |
03/03/2008 | Senators: Petersen, Barker, Locke |
03/13/2008 | No further action taken |
03/13/2008 | Failed to pass in House |
Comments
There is no such thing as a "citizen of the Commonwealth," and it is unclear what the patron's intent is here nor why such legislation is needed.
Update: The bill was amended to "citizen of the United States" in committee and specific documents are not required to prove citizenship, excluding a passport. No rationale was offered for excluding lawful permanent residents and others in the US legally from use of the court system for name changes. It would be difficult to articulate a rational basis sufficient to defend the statute as now written from a constitutional attack.
This is another of the bills introduced this session that demonstrate that much of the immigration debate is not, in fact, about lawful presence, but is about status as an immigrant, documented or undocumented.
This bill denies legal permanent residents and other lawfully present aliens access to the courts to seek a name change. There is a question whether this legislation is constitutional.