SB192 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rodger SmithermanSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2012

Title

Traffic stops, racial profiling by law enforcement officers, prohibited, written policies, forms for statistics, and reports to Attorney General required, provision for complaints

Summary

SB192 would ban racial profiling in traffic stops, require written policies and data collection, and set up a complaint and reporting system overseen by the Attorney General.

What This Bill Does

It defines traffic stops based on racial profiling and prohibits stopping someone solely because of race or ethnicity. It requires municipal police departments and the Department of Public Safety to adopt written policies by Jan 1, 2014 and to use approved forms to record stop data. It requires collecting data on each stop (including observed race, gender, and age, the reason for the stop, and outcome) and to file complaints with the Attorney General, with annual summary reports and AG review. It also gives the Attorney General authority to withhold funds for noncompliance until proper training is completed, and notes the fiscal impact is under $50,000 annually, so local funding requirements do not apply.

Who It Affects

• Municipal police departments and the Department of Public Safety: must adopt policies prohibiting stops based on race/ethnicity and collect/retain stop data.
• Police officers: must record observed demographic information and other stop details on the approved forms.
• Motorsists and the general public: protections against traffic stops based on race or ethnicity and access to complaints about stops.
• State and local government entities: may face funding penalties for noncompliance and must provide annual reporting to the Attorney General.

Key Provisions

• Definition of 'traffic stops based on racial profiling' as detention or treatment of a motorist solely because of race or ethnicity.
• Prohibition on traffic stops based on racial profiling; stops cannot be based solely on race/ethnicity for probable cause or detention.
• By Jan 1, 2014, municipal police departments and the Department of Public Safety must adopt written policies prohibiting such stops.
• By Jan 1, 2014, agencies must record/retain stop data using forms, including number of stops, observed demographics, reason for stop, and outcomes; and officer demographics must accompany data.
• Agencies must provide copies of complaints and disposition to the Attorney General.
• Demographic data collected in good faith cannot be the basis for civil action.
• The Attorney General may withhold funds from noncompliant departments until proper training on racial profiling is completed.
• By Oct 1, 2014 and annually thereafter, agencies must submit summary reports to the Attorney General.
• The Attorney General must review the data and report findings to the Governor and Legislature by the fifth legislative day in 2014, with recommendations.
• Section 3 requires development of forms for stop data and for complaints (printed and electronic) by January 1, 2014.
• Effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage.
• Fiscal note: the measure has an aggregate local fiscal impact of less than $50,000 annually and is excluded from local-funding requirements under Amendment 621.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Motor Vehicles