ND HB1305

Requires petitioners to be U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens and bona fide residents of their county for at least six months before filing a name change petition.

Mandates courts determine whether petitioners have criminal history in North Dakota or any other state, with costs of criminal history record checks paid by the petitioner.

Creates a rebuttable presumption that name change requests are made in bad faith if the petitioner has a felony conviction; requires clear and convincing evidence to overcome this presumption.

Exempts name changes related to marriage licenses, marriage annulments, and divorce/separation proceedings from criminal history record check requirements, unless court suspects fraud or harm.

Requires courts to report all name changes granted to individuals with criminal history to the bureau of criminal investigation within ten days of issuance.