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SB 1315

An Act amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as The Insurance Company Law of 1921, in casualty insurance, providing for coverage for certain fertility preservation services.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Camera Bartolotta and 16 co-sponsors

SB 1315 would reform the court-approval process for name changes in Pennsylvania, adjusting eligibility, notice, and documentation requirements within Title 54 (Names).

Referred to Banking & Insurance
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 1315

Overview

  • Bill: SB 1315
  • Session: 2025-2026
  • Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
  • Primary aim: Amends The Insurance Company Law of 1921 (Title 54, Names) to reform provisions related to court-approved name changes. The current bill text and status indicate focus on changes within Title 54 rather than directly addressing fertility preservation. The bill’s apparent subject is judicial procedures for name changes, with legislative activity centered in the Judiciary Committee and later actions.

Note: The legislative materials provided show SB 1315 as a reform measure within Title 54 (Names) about court approval requirements for name changes. While the prompt references a different scope (fertility preservation coverage in casualty insurance), the official bill text and accompanying materials in this record pertain to name-change procedures.

What the bill would do

  • Amend Title 54 (Names) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.
  • Specifically, “in judicial change of name,” the bill would provide for further changes to the court-approval process required for a name change.
  • The precise drafting text is not included in the summary provided, but the intent is to reform how name-change requests are evaluated and approved by courts.

Key provisions and changes (as indicated)

  • Adjusts the standards or process by which a court may grant a change of name.
  • Potentially clarifies or tightens criteria for eligibility, notice, or documentation required for name-change petitions.
  • May streamline or reform procedural steps within the judicial approval process for name changes.
  • Could interact with other related measures in Title 54 (Names), such as related name-change reforms contemplated by contemporaneous bills (e.g., HB 1314, SB 510, SB 521) that address identity and administrative aspects of name changes.

Who and what is affected

  • Affects individuals seeking to change their names in Pennsylvania, by modifying the court approval process.
  • Affects jurists and court administration responsible for processing name-change petitions.
  • May have ancillary effects on related administrative processes in state agencies that rely on legal name changes.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Referred to Judiciary on April 28, 2025; reported as committed and first considered on March 19, 2026; subsequently laid on the table on March 19, 2026.
  • Committee activity: Considered in the House Judiciary Committee with votes recorded (14 yes, 12 no) on March 10, 2026.
  • House actions: Laid on the table following committee reporting.
  • Current action as of the latest update: Referred to Banking & Insurance (per action history dated 2026-05-21), indicating a potential cross-cutting consideration or a reallocation of jurisdiction.

Practical considerations

  • The bill’s impact would primarily be on the clarity, efficiency, and fairness of the name-change process in Pennsylvania courts.
  • If enacted, additional petition requirements, timelines, or criteria could affect how quickly individuals can obtain a legal name change.
  • Policymakers may be weighing balance between streamlined procedures and safeguards to prevent misuse.

Related bills and context

  • Other bills touching Title 54 and name-change reforms include HB 1314 (Identity Affirming Name Change Assistance Grants), SB 510, and SB 521 (grants and publication/non-publication changes). These companion measures collectively address various aspects of the name-change process, including funding for identity-affirming assistance and publication requirements.

If you’d like, I can compare the bill text (when available) to highlight exact changes to the statutory language and provide a side-by-side docketed summary of affected sections.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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