Subcommittee rejects eviction‑record sealing bill after testimony from housing provider

Representative Johnson told the committee HB1940 would shield eviction records from public view after July 2026 when a case was dismissed or when the eviction is more than three years old, with the intent of reducing housing barriers created by screening databases that reject applicants on stale or dismissed records.

Sponsor arguments relied on research presented to the committee that suggested a small percentage of filings lead to formal evictions and that tenant screening companies often factor old or dismissed filings into automated denials. ‘‘This bill makes eviction records confidential and shielded from public viewing after July 2026 if the case was dismissed in court and if it has been more than three years since the eviction happened,’’ the sponsor said.

John Hickman, an affordable‑housing provider who testified in opposition, said in his 20 years of experience he has encountered applicants who misrepresent their eviction history and that landlords—particularly smaller, ‘‘mom and pop’’ operators—rely on public records to evaluate risk. Hickman warned about ‘‘legislative creep’’ that could progressively limit discoverability for landlords and greater financial risks for small property owners.

Committee members asked about reasonable time windows; the sponsor said the three‑year threshold was based on research and that advocates had asked for sealing earlier in the case lifecycle. Some members expressed sympathy for tenants seeking a fresh start, while others emphasized the economic risks to small landlords and the limits of automated screening tools.

The subcommittee voted the bill down (transcript tally: two ayes, five nays, one present not voting). The hearing transcript contains sponsor materials, witness testimony, and questions about the appropriate time window and potential impacts to both tenants and small landlords.