# Wisconsin AB215: An Act to renumber and amend 786.37 (4); to create 786.37 (4) (a) (intro.) and 786.37 (4) (a) 2. of the statutes; Relating to: eliminating the publication requirement for a name change petition seeking to conform an individual’s name with the individual’s gender identity.

Wisconsin AB215, An Act to renumber and amend 786.37 (4); to create 786.37 (4) (a) (intro.) and 786.37 (4) (a) 2. of the statutes; Relating to: eliminating the publication requirement for a name change petition seeking to conform an individual’s name with the individual’s gender identity., is a 2025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session) House bill sponsored by Clinton Anderson (Democratic), Margaret Arney (Democratic), Mike Bare (Democratic) and 28 others; status failed, last action 2026-03-23 (Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB215-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Wisconsin AB215
- State: Wisconsin
- Session: 2025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session)
- Title: An Act to renumber and amend 786.37 (4); to create 786.37 (4) (a) (intro.) and 786.37 (4) (a) 2. of the statutes; Relating to: eliminating the publication requirement for a name change petition seeking to conform an individual’s name with the individual’s gender identity.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-04-23
- Last action: 2026-03-23, Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
- Sponsors: Clinton Anderson (Democratic), Margaret Arney (Democratic), Mike Bare (Democratic), Ryan Clancy (Democratic), Angelina Cruz (Democratic), Ben DeSmidt (Democratic), Jodi Emerson (Democratic), Joan Fitzgerald (Democratic), Kalan Haywood (Democratic), Francesca Hong (Democratic), Alex Joers (Democratic), Tara Johnson (Democratic), Karen Kirsch (Democratic), Darrin Madison (Democratic), Renuka Mayadev (Democratic), Vincent Miresse (Democratic), Supreme Moore Omokunde (Democratic), Greta Neubauer (Democratic), Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (Democratic), Lori Palmeri (Democratic), Christian Phelps (Democratic), Amaad Rivera-Wagner (Democratic), Ann Roe (Democratic), Joe Sheehan (Democratic), Christine Sinicki (Democratic), Lee Snodgrass (Democratic), Angela Stroud (Democratic), Lisa Subeck (Democratic), Angelito Tenorio (Democratic), Randy Udell (Democratic), Robyn Vining (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Subjects: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, Newspaper and magazine, Vital statistics
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Clinton Anderson (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Margaret Arney (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Mike Bare (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Ryan Clancy (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Angelina Cruz (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Ben DeSmidt (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Jodi Emerson (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Joan Fitzgerald (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Kalan Haywood (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Francesca Hong (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Alex Joers (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Tara Johnson (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Karen Kirsch (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Darrin Madison (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Renuka Mayadev (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Vincent Miresse (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Supreme Moore Omokunde (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Greta Neubauer (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Lori Palmeri (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Christian Phelps (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Amaad Rivera-Wagner (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Ann Roe (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Joe Sheehan (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Christine Sinicki (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Lee Snodgrass (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Angela Stroud (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Lisa Subeck (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Angelito Tenorio (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Randy Udell (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Robyn Vining (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tim Carpenter (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dora Drake (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dianne Hesselbein (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Chris Larson (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Melissa Ratcliff (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kelda Roys (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Jeff Smith (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mark Spreitzer (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (3)

- 2026-03-23: Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (House)
- 2025-04-23: Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary (House)
- 2025-04-23: Introduced by Representatives Clancy, Snodgrass, Arney, Cruz, Neubauer, Phelps, Rivera-Wagner, Udell, Stroud, DeSmidt, Tenorio, Hong, Fitzgerald, Joers, Madison, Kirsch, Moore Omokunde, Ortiz-Velez, Anderson, Vining, Subeck, Emerson, Bare, Palmeri, Sinicki, Johnson, Roe, Miresse, Sheehan, Mayadev and Haywood; cosponsored by Senators Ratcliff, Spreitzer, Dassler-Alfheim, Carpenter, Roys, Larson, Hesselbein, Drake and Smith (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [HTML](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB215), [PDF](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB215.pdf)

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## Sources
- [Bill Text (HTML)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB215)
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB215.pdf)

## Related
- [AB913: An Act to create 71.05 (6) (b) 57. of the statutes; Relating to: subtraction fo…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB913-2025)
- [AB80: An Act to renumber 457.25 (1); to amend 46.90 (4) (ab) 4., 48.56 (2), 48.561 (2…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB80-2025)
- [AB1027: An Act Relating to: requiring information relating to the food stamp program to…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB1027-2025)
- [SB36: An Act to repeal 71.63 (6) (n) 1. and 71.63 (6) (n) 2.; to renumber and amend 7…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-SB36-2025)
- [AB674: An Act to create 157.06 (15m) of the statutes; Relating to: prohibiting knowing…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB674-2025)
- [SB176: An Act to create 71.05 (1) (j), 71.26 (1) (j), 71.34 (1k) (q) and 71.45 (1) (dp…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-SB176-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB215-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).