The House Judiciary Committee heard SB 142 on eviction issues sponsored by Rep. Zimmerman and authored by Sen. Brown. The bill requires the court to mandate an expungement for qualifying eviction cases and allows the court to issue the order without a hearing. Additionally, it grants the court the authority to expunge an eviction case if a money judgment has been entered against the tenant and the tenant has fulfilled that judgment.
The committee amended the bill by consent to allow a court to order, on its own motion, that certain eviction records may not be disclosed. The amendment also permits a tenant, under certain circumstances, to file a motion requesting that records related to an eviction action not be disclosed. Additionally, it specifies that a final judgment for the recovery of money or costs does not create a lien on real estate and personal property if certain eviction actions are prohibited from disclosure.
An additional amendment was introduced that provided that a court shall, on its own motion, expunge certain eviction cases, including when a judgment is entered against a tenant and at least seven years have elapsed. The amendment also provided that a money order must be satisfied or otherwise vacated for a court to enter an expungement in certain cases. This amendment was defeated 9-2.
Prosperity for Indiana, AARP of Indiana, a representative from Indiana Legal Services, three representatives Notre Dame Law School Eviction Clinic, and two other students testified in support of the bill. The amended bill passed 10-1.
Read the bill: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/senate/142