Legislation to seal eviction records for millions of Pennsylvanians who struggle to find housing passes the House
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus June 23, 2025 | 5:13 PM
HARRISBURG, June 23 – Legislation that would seal eviction records for the millions of Pennsylvanians who are unable to secure adequate housing due to an eviction passed the House today (105-98), announced the bill’s sponsors, state Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, Jordan A. Harris, Elizabeth Fiedler and Rich Krajewski.
“Evictions have contributed to the spiraling housing crisis in Pennsylvania by making it difficult, if not impossible, for deserving working Pennsylvanians to access safe and affordable housing in which to raise their children and help them secure and keep career-advancing jobs,” the bill’s prime sponsor, Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, said.
The legislation, H.B. 1095, aims to protect communities and ensure fair housing access by instituting a statewide policy that would establish procedures to limit access to eviction records in certain cases, such as no-fault evictions. In cases where the tenant has been determined to be at fault by a judge, the records would remain accessible to the public for seven years, bringing them into line with policies related to bankruptcies and foreclosures.
"Secure, affordable housing is more than a roof over someone’s head – it’s a critical building block for economic mobility, family stability, and safer neighborhoods," said Harris, who is majority chair of the House Appropriations Committee. "This legislation ensures that Pennsylvanians aren’t forever defined by moments of financial struggle. It’s a smart, compassionate policy that strengthens our communities and our economy by giving people the fair shot they deserve."
According to Smith-Wade-El, most landlords and property managers now use automated tenant screening measures that deny the application of anyone with a single eviction record, even if the motion to evict was withdrawn, the court found in favor of the tenant, or the tenant was enduring domestic violence when evicted.
“Our unfair eviction law has devastated individuals, families and whole communities,” Smith-Wade-El added. “Once unhoused, people often experience a cascade of frequently insurmountable related issues, from family separations or joblessness due to a lack of a permanent address. And too many people enter an unsafe housing situation out of desperation, such as returning to an abusive partner.
“We know that life can be cruel and unfair, with just one crisis leaving a hardworking family destitute and out on the street. And we know people aren’t perfect. They make mistakes and find themselves evicted because they can’t pay rent. But an eviction shouldn’t haunt someone forever, ruining their chance at stable family and working lives in a good community.
“I am grateful to Republican and Democratic colleagues’ contributions to this version of the bill. We were able to come together over this legislation because of a shared knowledge that these hardworking Pennsylvanians, many of whom work 40 or more hours to keep their family afloat, deserve a fairer shake at life and because of a shared belief that all our neighbors deserve safe, stable places where they can lay their heads at night, love on their children, and enjoy a little free time with their friends.”
“Housing is a human right and lifelong eviction records have held back working families from finding safe and affordable homes for far too long,” said Krajewski, D-Phila. “No one deserves to be on a permanent rental blacklist. Not poor families. Not victims of domestic abuse. Nobody. Passing H.B. 1095 out of the House is a historic step forward, years in the making. I appreciate Rep. Smith-Wade-El for all his work getting us here.”
"As legislators, we must do everything we can to ensure our working families have greater access to housing options to alleviate the affordable housing crisis,” said Fiedler, D-Phila. “This legislation would protect those families who have been evicted by no fault of their own to have a fair chance to find affordable quality housing in our communities.”
Harris, Fielder and Krajewski were all co-prime sponsors of H.B. 1095 and its previous session version, H.B. 1769.
The bill now is headed to the Senate for consideration.