Removes the five (5) year waiting period for filing a motion to seal an eviction court file. It also deletes the numerical limitation on filing seal requests.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would change the rules around sealing eviction records in Rhode Island court files. Under current law, a person who has had an eviction case filed against them must wait five years before they can ask a court to seal that record, and there are limits on how many times someone can make that request. This bill would remove both of those restrictions entirely.

If passed, a person could ask a court to seal their eviction record at any time — even shortly after the case is resolved — without having to wait five years. They could also make that request as many times as needed without hitting a legal limit. Sealing a record means it would no longer be visible to the general public, including landlords running background checks, which can play a big role in whether someone is approved for future housing.

This bill primarily affects renters who have had eviction cases filed against them, even in situations where the case was dismissed or resolved in their favor. Eviction records can follow people for years and make it harder to find a new place to live, since many landlords screen applicants using court databases. By making it easier to seal these records sooner, the bill aims to reduce that barrier. Landlords and property managers, who often rely on eviction history when screening tenants, would also be affected since they would have less access to that information.

As of now, the bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee and is scheduled for a hearing, but no final vote has been taken.