North Dakota Senate Bill SB2238

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/17/25
• Refer: 1/17/25
• Report Pass: 2/6/25
• Engrossed: 2/11/25
• Refer: 2/18/25
• Report Pass: 3/18/25
• Enrolled: 3/24/25
• Passed: 3/26/25

Caption

AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 47-32 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to sealing of eviction records.

Summary

SB 2238 creates a new section of North Dakota law allowing certain eviction records to be sealed under limited circumstances. The bill applies first to people evicted for nonpayment of rent or damage to leased premises who later satisfy those claims; they may petition to seal the eviction records seven years after the eviction order has been satisfied, so long as they have not been evicted from another property during that seven-year period. The bill also creates a separate sealing path for tenants who were victims of domestic violence at the time of the tenancy and were evicted because of a domestic violence incident. In those cases, the person may move to seal the eviction records once the assailant has been convicted of domestic violence or a related protective order has been issued, including a disorderly conduct restraining order, sexual assault restraining order, or domestic violence protection order.

Impact

The bill adds a new records-sealing remedy to chapter 47-32 of the North Dakota Century Code, changing how eviction court files may be treated after the underlying dispute is resolved. It does not erase the eviction itself, but it can restrict public access to court records for qualifying tenants, which may affect landlords, tenants, courts, and background-screening processes that rely on eviction history.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have broad legislative support. It passed the Senate 35-12 and the House 88-5, indicating strong bipartisan approval overall. The vote margins suggest the measure was generally viewed favorably as a targeted tenant-relief and privacy bill, especially for people affected by domestic violence.

Contention

The main points of contention likely centered on whether eviction records should be sealed at all, how long a person should have to wait before seeking sealing, and whether the eligibility standards are narrow enough to protect landlords’ interests and court transparency. The domestic-violence provision may have drawn support as a safety measure, while the seven-year waiting period and requirement that claims be resolved reflect an effort to limit relief to people who have demonstrated stability and repayment.