(Radio Iowa) – A bill that’s cleared the legislature was inspired by an Iowa women getting a divorce who was changing her last name, too. Senator Janet Petersen of Des Moines says the woman had to present her entire divorce decree whenever she attempted to revert to the last name on her birth certificate.
“The divorce decree had information that was sensitive pertaining to her privacy, her children’s privacy that she didn’t want to have to provide the whole document,” Petersen said, “and I believe that there are probably hundreds of other Iowans who are going to benefit from her bringing this issue to the legislature.”
The bill says anyone getting an annulment or a divorce in Iowa may ask the judge for a separate court document about changing back to their birth name or a previous name. It cleared the House and Senate unanimously and goes to the governor for her signature.
