How SB 549 changes current law

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This bill establishes a new subchapter in the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes that provides for limited access to eviction information, restricting dissemination and allowing certain exceptions.

• Title 42, Chapter 43

  SUBCHAPTER C LIMITED ACCESS TO EVICTION INFORMATION Sec. 4331. Definitions. 4332. Eviction case limited access. 4333. Prohibition on disclosure of information in limited access eviction file. 4334. Procedures.

  Introduces a new subchapter concerning limited access to eviction information.

• § 4331

  "Disseminate." To transmit or disclose a court file in oral or written form to individuals or agencies other than the court that retains the information. "Eviction case." An action brought under Article V of the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951. "Eviction information." Information collected by the court arising from the initiation of an eviction case consisting of identifiable descriptions and dates of parties involved in the eviction case, documents filed in the eviction case and information or record of activity associated with the eviction case. "Limited access eviction file." Eviction information barred from dissemination.

  Defines key terms related to limited access eviction information.

• § 4332

  (a) General rule.--Except as provided under subsection (b), a court or the Administrative Office may not disseminate to an individual or post on an Internet website a limited access eviction file unless a final disposition of the case in favor of the plaintiff is present and the case is less than seven years old. (b) Exception.--A court may disseminate a limited access eviction file in the following circumstances to: ... (6) other parties or entities if the parties to the eviction case agree that the limited access eviction file may be disseminated.

  Establishes rules for when a limited access eviction file may be disseminated.

• § 4333

  (a) Dissemination prohibited.--A person may not disseminate any information contained in a limited access eviction file. ... (d) Violation.--A violation of subsection (b) or (c) constitutes an unlawful practice under the act of December 17, 1968 (P.L.1224, No.387), known as the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.

  Prohibits the dissemination of information contained in limited access eviction files and establishes penalties for violations.

• § 4334

  Each court shall issue monthly, and provide to the Administrative Office, a list of all court files to which the court has limited access within the previous 31 days in accordance with section 4332(c) (relating to eviction case limited access).

  Requires courts to report on files with limited access.