S.B. No. 245 Summary

• Establishes eviction defense fund and expands legal representation for indigent tenants in eviction proceedings, including forcible entry/detainer actions and housing authority informal hearings, with coverage for individuals earning up to 250% of federal poverty line.

• Creates new requirements for real estate transactions: requires written agency agreements for all licensees, mandates brokerage policies on agency disclosure, and implements stricter consent requirements when changing party representation.

• Modifies eviction notice requirements to include information about free legal representation eligibility and directs courts to allow mediation and sealing of eviction records under specific circumstances.

• Requires county auditors to identify ownership information for non-natural person grantees in real property transfers and clarifies tax apportionment procedures for partial property transfers.

• Authorizes third-party private inspectors to conduct plan reviews and inspections for residential and nonresidential building construction when government building departments fail to respond timely, and directs Board of Building Standards to review and streamline residential building code certification requirements.