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Bill

A 2132

Permits use of preferred names on student diplomas.

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Bill Moen and 1 co-sponsor

New Jersey bill permits students to use preferred names on diplomas while maintaining legal name records for institutional purposes.

Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
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Bill Summary · A 2132

Legislative bill overview

Bill A 2132 allows New Jersey public school students to request that their preferred names appear on their diplomas instead of their legal names. The bill requires school districts to accommodate these requests while maintaining records of students' legal names for institutional purposes.

Why is this important

Diplomas serve as official credentials for employment, education, and other life opportunities, making their accuracy to student identity personally significant. For transgender, non-binary, and other students whose legal names don't reflect their identity, this change removes a barrier to feeling recognized by their educational institutions. The policy balances personal dignity with administrative record-keeping needs.

Potential points of contention

  • Legal name documentation concerns: Questions about whether diplomas should reflect legal names for verification purposes, particularly for employment background checks or credential validation
  • Implementation logistics: Unclear processes for how school districts would verify preferred name requests, handle name changes mid-education, and manage transcript consistency
  • Scope debate: Whether this should extend to transcripts, certificates of attendance, and other official documents, or remain limited to diplomas

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

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