Joint committee endorses H4270 to remove eviction records from public index after five years

Representative Carla Schuessler updated the joint committee on House Bill H4270, which was described as amended by a strike-all that changes how eviction filings and related records are handled in public indexes.

"Court records more than 5 years old must be automatically removed from public index records specified here in, and then further language will likely be added if no subsequent ejectments have occurred within the 5 year time frame," Representative Schuessler read when summarizing the amendment language.

She told the committee the change would apply to any filing that includes personal information of a defendant — including cases resolved by orders of eviction, writs of ejectment, settlement, or subsequent payment — and that records would be removed five years after final disposition or after five years if no disposition has been recorded, unless there were subsequent ejectments during the five-year window.

Representative Schuessler said stakeholders had worked on the amendment language: the apartment association testified in favor and participated in wording, realtors and some landlords provided input, and tenant-advocacy groups also testified in favor of the bill. She said the measure has roughly 32 cosponsors and carried a favorable report out of a judiciary subcommittee.

Senator Tamika Isaacson moved that the committee endorse H4270; the motion was seconded (speaker not named), and the committee carried the measure by unanimous voice vote. The chair announced that the joint committee will endorse the bill.

No roll-call tally was provided during the voice vote; the record shows a unanimous "aye" response. Committee staff and members discussed next steps and scheduling; no appropriation or fiscal estimate was included in the committee's endorsement comment at this meeting.