HB 6528 Summary

• Seals all summary process (eviction) court records and online dockets as confidential, accessible only to parties, their attorneys, occupants with proof of residency, and attorneys certifying they represent a client in the case, with limited exceptions for researchers, journalists, and government purposes upon court order.

• Automatically unseals eviction records five days after a judgment of possession is entered based on nonpayment of rent, breach of lease, or nuisance, or five days after all appeals are exhausted if an appeal is filed.

• Prohibits landlords and consumer reporting agencies from refusing to rent or discriminating against prospective tenants based on past or pending summary process actions unless the action has been unsealed, with a rebuttable presumption of violation if sealed records are requested or inspected.

• Requires landlords who deny rental applications to provide written explanations, making knowingly false reasons an unfair or deceptive trade practice, and allows aggrieved tenants to file complaints with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

• Prohibits the Judicial Branch from selling or providing information about unsealed eviction cases to consumer reporting agencies and requires system modifications to enforce certification requirements for attorney access to case dockets.