HB 253 New Mexico House · 2025 Regular Session

SEALING OF CERTAIN COURT RECORDS

HB 253 requires that court records for eviction cases be sealed (made inaccessible to the public) from the start of the case. The records remain sealed until 15 days after a court orders the landlord to take possession, unless the tenant appeals or the parties agree to keep them sealed. After that period, records become public but must be resealed after three years or if a tenant petitions for resealing based on "interests of justice." The bill also prohibits courts from publishing tenant or landlord names online and exempts tenants from disclosing evictions to third parties.

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 4, 2025 Last action Jun 3, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

introduced version → JC substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was substantially rewritten by the Judiciary Committee, changing the unsealing timeline from a minimum of 15 days after an order to a minimum of 3 years after records become public. The committee also added new provisions allowing unsealing for compelling needs like journalism or education, exempting residents from liability for not disclosing evictions, and waiving filing fees for residents seeking to unseal records.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on sealing eviction court records, but the committee added specific protections for residents and expanded the conditions under which records can be unsealed.

TIMELINE

Changed the public unsealing timeline from a minimum of 15 days after an eviction order to a minimum of 3 years after records become public.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new provision allowing sealed records to be unsealed upon a showing of compelling need, including for scholarly, educational, journalistic, or governmental purposes.

Added a provision prohibiting courts from publishing party names online or selling sealed records to third parties.

ELIGIBILITY

Added protection for residents who are not liable for failing to disclose eviction history to third parties.

TECHNICAL

Added a provision waiving filing fees for residents filing motions to unseal their court records.

DEFINITION

Modified the definition of 'authorized attorney' to reference a policy adopted by the courts rather than the administrative office of the courts.

Floor votes · House Mar 10, 2025

How they voted

35–25

Passed · 6 other

Total votes 66

Mar 10, 2025

D Democratic40

35 Yea 1 Nay 4

87% Yea

R Republican26

24 Nay 2

92% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 16, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee & Senate Judiciary Committee

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed House

lower

Mar 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO NOT PASS, replaced with committee substitute

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee & House Judiciary Committee

lower

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors