(b) Subject to subdivision (c), all of the following apply:

1. (1) The court records, including the index, register of actions, and any other case information available through court systems used to provide the public with electronic access to court records, associated with a proceeding for a change of name or gender and sex identifier, or both, shall be kept confidential by the court.
2. (2) Until the court orders a change of name or gender and sex identifier, or both, the court shall limit access to the court records in the proceeding, including the index, register of actions, and any other case information available through court systems used to provide the public with electronic access to court records. Prior to those orders, the court shall not provide access to anyone other than the petitioner, any other person who signed the petition, an individual who is subject to service of an order to show cause related to the petition, any attorney representing those individuals, and any agents acting pursuant to written authorization from those individuals or their attorneys. For a petition brought on behalf of a minor, the court shall limit access prior to an order changing the minor’s name or gender and sex identifier, or both, to the minor subject of the petition, the minor’s parents, guardians, and guardians ad litem, an individual subject to service of an order to show cause related to the petition, any attorney representing those individuals, and any agents acting pursuant to written authorization from those individuals or their attorneys.
3. (3) Upon the court ordering a change of name or gender and sex identifier, or both, the court shall limit access to the court records in the proceeding, including the index, register of actions, and any other case information available through court systems used to provide the public with electronic access to court records, to the petitioner, a minor who received a change of name or gender and sex identifier, or both, an adult who signed the petition, any attorney representing those individuals, and any agents acting pursuant to written authorization from those individuals or their attorneys.

(c) The requirements set forth in subdivision (b) apply if any of the following conditions are met:

1. (1) The petition for change of name or gender and sex identifier, or both, is filed on or after July 1, 2026.
2. (2) The court orders the records in the proceeding to be kept confidential. The court shall enter that order if the petitioner in a proceeding for a change of name or gender and sex identifier, or both, in which the petition was filed before July 1, 2026, files a request to keep the records in the proceeding confidential. The petitioner may make this request ex parte and without paying a filing fee. The court shall make the request and all associated records confidential.
3. (3) The records in the proceeding were previously made confidential by statute or otherwise.

(h)

1. (1) In addition to any other sanctions, penalties, or remedies provided by law, commencing six months after the effective date of the act that added this subdivision, a petitioner who has been harmed by a disclosure or continuing disclosure of records by a person or private entity with actual knowledge that those records were made confidential or sealed by the court may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction against a person or private entity that caused the harm. A civil action pursuant to this subdivision may be brought by a petitioner or, if the petitioner is a minor, on behalf of a petitioner by the petitioner’s parent, guardian, or guardian ad litem.

2. (2) If a person or private entity is found liable in a cause of action brought pursuant to paragraph (1), the person or private entity shall be liable to the petitioner for all of the following:

   1. (A) Actual damages but not less than statutory damages in the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000).
   2. (B) Punitive damages upon proof of willful or reckless disregard of the law.
   3. (C) Reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.