The bill amends Section 34-18-60 of the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to establish new provisions regarding the sealing of court files related to eviction actions. It allows for the sealing of eviction records when a civil action is dismissed for reasons including, but not limited to, a defective complaint or lack of jurisdiction of the court. The court is required to grant a motion to seal under these circumstances, and such sealing will not be counted against a party's eligibility to request the sealing of one eviction record within a five-year period.

Additionally, the bill mandates that any minor named in an eviction proceeding will have their records sealed, and this sealing will also not affect the eligibility for future sealing requests. The overall intent of the bill is to provide greater privacy protections for tenants involved in eviction proceedings, particularly in cases where the dismissal of the action does not reflect negatively on the tenant's rental history. The act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
6378: 34-18-60
6378  SUB A: 34-18-60