HB174 Alabama 2012 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Steve ClouseRepresentative
Republican
Co-Sponsor: Alan Boothe
Session: Regular Session 2012
Title: Dale Co., sheriff, authorized to operate jail store, distrib. for law enforcement purposes, audit
Summary: HB174 authorizes the Dale County sheriff to run a jail store, channeling profits into a dedicated fund to support local law enforcement and requiring audits of the funds.
What This Bill Does
If enacted, the Dale County Sheriff (or authorized deputies) may operate a jail store inside the county jail to serve inmates. It creates a Sheriff's Law Enforcement Fund in a Dale County bank where all jail store proceeds are deposited tax-exempt and tracked. The fund and jail store transactions must be audited by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, with a copy of the audit provided to the sheriff within 30 days. Profits from the jail store can be spent at the sheriff's discretion on Dale County law enforcement, without diminishing other sheriff income or replacing existing funding, and any prior jail store actions and proceeds are ratified and moved into the new fund; the act takes effect immediately after governor approval.

Who It Affects
Dale County Sheriff’s Office and jail staff: they are authorized to operate the jail store, maintain the Sheriff's Law Enforcement Fund, and decide how to use profits for local law enforcement, with required accounting and audits.
Inmates in the Dale County jail and the Dale County community: inmates may benefit from the jail store operating to meet their needs, and the community benefits from profits used to support local law enforcement.

Key Provisions
Authorization for the Sheriff of Dale County or authorized agents to operate a jail store within the county jail to serve the needs of the jail population.
Creation and maintenance of the Sheriff's Law Enforcement Fund in a Dale County bank; all jail store proceeds must be deposited into this tax-exempt fund and accounted for.
Requirement that the jail store and fund be audited by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, with a copy of the audit provided to the sheriff within 30 days of completion.
Profits from the jail store may be expended at the sheriff's discretion for law enforcement purposes in Dale County and shall not replace or diminish other sheriff income sources.
Ratification of prior jail store actions and transfer of any existing proceeds from prior operations into the new Sheriff's Law Enforcement Fund; the act becomes effective immediately after governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Dale County