House panel advances bill to suppress minor name‑change records, prompting parental‑rights debate
March 25, 2026 | 2026 Legislature CO, Colorado
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The House Judiciary Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 18 to the committee of the whole, passing the measure 7‑4 after several hours of testimony and public comment. Sponsors said the bill automatically suppresses public access to court records when a minor’s name is changed to protect privacy; opponents said the change could sideline parents and be misused.
Rep. Rob Garcia, a co‑prime sponsor, told the committee SB 18 is “a children’s protection bill” that would suppress records for minors seeking legal name changes — whether for adoption, cultural or spiritual naming, or gender‑affirming reasons — so sensitive details are not scraped from court websites and spread online.
Rep. Mad Froelich, who co‑sponsored in the House, said the change was driven by community reports in which publicly accessible filings had been scraped and used to harass families. Legal aid advocates and trans‑youth service providers urged the committee to act. Erica Unger of Bread and Roses Legal Center described how the current civil filing process can leave a minor’s birth name, birthday and parent names exposed when a petition is captioned under a parent’s name.
Supporters — including 1 Colorado, Bread and Roses, Rocky Mountain Equality and youth and parent witnesses — recounted instances where public records had been used to out children or prompt harassment or relocation. Jamie Frederick of the Trans Rescue Network urged the committee to consider the safety benefits of suppressed records for trans youth.
Opponents, including parents’ advocates and some members of the public, warned that automatic suppression removes a layer of public notice that can protect other parents and that a secret process could be misused to hide abuse or to deprive noncustodial parents of notice. Laurie Gimelstein of the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network said the bill “creates a secretive legal process around children changing their name by suppressing court records and eliminating public notice.”
Committee members discussed judicial safeguards already available — including courts’ existing ability to seal records in particular cases — and the bill’s procedural safeguards for parental notice. Sponsors and legal witnesses explained that consent or notice to noncustodial parents is still required in ordinary cases, and publication would remain an option where a petitioner cannot provide notice.
On a procedural motion the panel moved SB 18 to the committee of the whole with a favorable recommendation; the vote was 7‑4. That committee vote sends the bill to the next stage in the House’s process.
What’s next: SB 18 now goes to the committee of the whole; if approved there it will head to the House floor for further action.
Rep. Rob Garcia, a co‑prime sponsor, told the committee SB 18 is “a children’s protection bill” that would suppress records for minors seeking legal name changes — whether for adoption, cultural or spiritual naming, or gender‑affirming reasons — so sensitive details are not scraped from court websites and spread online.
Rep. Mad Froelich, who co‑sponsored in the House, said the change was driven by community reports in which publicly accessible filings had been scraped and used to harass families. Legal aid advocates and trans‑youth service providers urged the committee to act. Erica Unger of Bread and Roses Legal Center described how the current civil filing process can leave a minor’s birth name, birthday and parent names exposed when a petition is captioned under a parent’s name.
Supporters — including 1 Colorado, Bread and Roses, Rocky Mountain Equality and youth and parent witnesses — recounted instances where public records had been used to out children or prompt harassment or relocation. Jamie Frederick of the Trans Rescue Network urged the committee to consider the safety benefits of suppressed records for trans youth.
Opponents, including parents’ advocates and some members of the public, warned that automatic suppression removes a layer of public notice that can protect other parents and that a secret process could be misused to hide abuse or to deprive noncustodial parents of notice. Laurie Gimelstein of the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network said the bill “creates a secretive legal process around children changing their name by suppressing court records and eliminating public notice.”
Committee members discussed judicial safeguards already available — including courts’ existing ability to seal records in particular cases — and the bill’s procedural safeguards for parental notice. Sponsors and legal witnesses explained that consent or notice to noncustodial parents is still required in ordinary cases, and publication would remain an option where a petitioner cannot provide notice.
On a procedural motion the panel moved SB 18 to the committee of the whole with a favorable recommendation; the vote was 7‑4. That committee vote sends the bill to the next stage in the House’s process.
What’s next: SB 18 now goes to the committee of the whole; if approved there it will head to the House floor for further action.
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