§ 64-a. Sealing name change papers. 1. If the court shall find that
open record of an applicant's change of name would jeopardize such
applicant's personal safety, based on totality of the circumstances, the
court shall, at the request of the applicant or sua sponte, order the
records of such change of name proceeding be sealed, to be opened only
by order of the court for good cause shown or at the request of the
applicant. For the purposes of this section, "totality of the
circumstances" shall include, but not be limited to, a consideration of
the risk of violence or discrimination against the applicant, including
such applicant's status as transgender or as the subject of domestic
violence. The court shall not deny such sealing request solely on the
basis that the applicant lacks specific instances of or a personal
history of threat to personal safety.

2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, pending such a finding
in subdivision one of this section where an applicant seeks relief under
this section, the court shall immediately order the applicant's current
name, proposed new name, residential and business addresses, telephone
numbers, and any other information contained in any pleadings or papers
submitted to the court to be safeguarded and sealed in order to prevent
their inadvertent or unauthorized use or disclosure while the matter is
pending.