Committee approves bill to remove certain eviction filings from public indexes after five years

A House committee reported H4270 favorably as amended, adopting a compromise that would automatically remove eviction filings from publicly accessible databases five years after final disposition. The bill's proponents said the change helps tenants who have resolved prior disputes and face long-term barriers to housing because eviction filings remain indefinitely searchable.

Miss Bernstein (speaker 19), who presented the legislation, described how the subcommittee and stakeholders — including tenant advocates and landlord associations — negotiated language that narrows earlier proposals. The original draft had included a mechanism to remove filings within 30 days where no eviction occurred; that provision was removed in favor of the five-year automatic removal and a Jan. 1, 2027 effective date to align with a companion senate measure.

Opponents and some members asked whether the bill sufficiently protects small landlords and individuals who own one or two rental units. Representative McCabe warned that small "mom and pop" landlords rely on public records and credit reports to manage risk and that removing records could hurt them disproportionately. Supporters said the five-year period is a reasonable balance that mirrors other post-conviction and record-sealing timeframes.

Committee members also noted that tenants who believe they were subject to improper filings can still petition the court to remove records earlier, but doing so may require legal assistance and cost. The committee voted to adopt the subcommittee report and the date amendment; the bill received a favorable report as amended.

What happens next: H4270 moves to the floor with automatic five-year expungement language and a 2027 effective date; lawmakers signaled continuing interest in refining processes for contested or erroneous filings.