A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 60-2-60 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PUBLIC EVICTION NOTICES THAT DID NOT RESULT IN AN ORDER OF EVICTION OR WRIT OF EJECTMENT BE REMOVED FROM THE PUBLIC INDEX IF AN ORDER OF EVICTION OR WRIT OF EJECTMENT WAS NOT FILED WITHIN THIRTY DAYS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT RESOLVED EVICTION FILINGS AND RECORDS MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE PUBLIC INDEX SIX YEARS AFTER THE FINAL DISPOSITION.

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  Chapter 2, Title 60 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 60-2-60. (A) Any record that gives the public notice that an eviction has been filed pursuant to Section 27-40-10 or 27-47-10 that did not result in an Order of Eviction or Writ of Ejectment must be removed from the public index and any publicly accessible file if an Order of Eviction or Writ of Ejectment is not filed within thirty days. This removal can be accomplished by court order or application by the defendant.

    (B) Eviction filings and records, including those concluded by Orders of Eviction or Writ of Ejectment, cases resolved by settlement, or resolved by subsequent payment for the judgment that satisfied any debt that includes personal information of a defendant, must be removed from the public index and any publicly accessible files available for public record six years after the final disposition. Files more than six years of age must be automatically removed from all records available for public view.

 

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

----XX----