SESSION WATCH
Died SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. SB 1530

Court Records of Eviction Proceedings
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SPONSOR
Pizzo
FILED BY
Jason W. B. Pizzo — District 37, No Party Affiliation [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Judiciary

Filed under Housing.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Court Records of Eviction Proceedings; Authorizing persons who are defendants in certain eviction proceedings to file a motion with the court to have the records of such proceedings sealed and to have their names substituted on the progress docket under certain conditions; providing that certain persons are ineligible for such relief; requiring persons seeking such relief to serve a copy of the motion on all parties to the proceeding and file a specified affidavit with the court; requiring the court to schedule a hearing under certain circumstances, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Allows eligible eviction defendants to seal records and hide names.

Defendants in rent or lot rental eviction cases can now ask courts to seal records and replace their names with "tenant" on public dockets.

Eligibility requires the case to end in settlement, default judgment satisfaction, or a merits judgment that is at least five or ten years old.

People who have been evicted more than once are permanently barred from receiving this sealing and name-substitution relief.

Courts must grant the requested relief without a hearing if no party files a written objection within 30 days of the motion being served.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Sealing and Name Substitution majors. 83.626(1)(a)

AIAllows defendants in specific eviction cases to seal records and replace their names with "tenant" on the docket.

“may file a motion with the court to have the records of such proceeding sealed and to have his or her name substituted with "tenant" on the progress docket” bill text, line 29 →
§ 2 Eligibility Conditions majors. 83.626(1)(a)

AILimits relief to cases resolved by settlement, satisfied default judgments, or judgments older than five or ten years.

“The case was resolved by settlement or stipulation of the parties, and the person has complied with the terms of the agreement.” bill text, line 33 →
§ 3 Ineligibility for Repeat Evictees majors. 83.626(1)(b)

AIBars anyone who has been evicted more than once from receiving sealing or name substitution relief.

“A person is ineligible for relief under paragraph (a) if he or she has been evicted more than once.” bill text, line 46 →
§ 4 Mandatory Relief Without Objection moderates. 83.626(2)

AIRequires the court to grant relief automatically if no written objection is filed within 30 days.

“If no such objection is timely filed, the court must grant the relief without a hearing.” bill text, line 53 →
§ 5 Automatic Relief for Successful Defendants moderates. 83.626(3)

AIEntitles a person to name substitution without a motion or hearing if they win the eviction case or file a joint stipulation.

“the person being evicted is entitled to the substitution of his or her name with "tenant" on the progress docket without any further motion or hearing thereon” bill text, line 62 →
§ 6 Fee Prohibition moderates. 83.626(4)

AIProhibits courts from charging filing or reopening fees for motions filed under this section.

“The court may not charge a filing or reopening fee for motions filed pursuant to this section.” bill text, line 65 →
§ 7 Retroactive Applicability moderates. 83.626(5)

AIApplies the new sealing and name substitution rules to judgments entered before the effective date.

“This section applies to any judgment entered before, on, or after July 1, 2026.” bill text, line 67 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Judiciary
1/22/2026
Introduced
1/16/2026
Referred to Judiciary; Community Affairs; Rules
1/9/2026
Filed
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 83.626
+412 / −0