SB70 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rodger SmithermanSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2016

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

SB70 would prohibit racial profiling in traffic stops and require police to adopt anti-profiling policies, collect stop data, handle complaints, and report findings to the Attorney General.

What This Bill Does

Defines racial profiling and prohibits officers from stopping or detaining motorists based solely on race or ethnicity. Requires municipal police departments and ALEA to adopt written anti-profiling policies, create data-collection forms for traffic stops, accept and track complaints, and file reports with the Attorney General. The bill also requires development of reporting forms and annual summaries, and allows the Attorney General to withhold funds from noncompliant agencies until training is completed. It notes the local-funds impact is small enough to be exempt from certain local-expenditure rules.

Who It Affects

• Municipal police departments and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency must implement anti-profiling policies, collect stop data, process complaints, and report to the Attorney General.
• Motorists and the general public are protected from racial profiling during traffic stops and can submit complaints; data collected will include demographics observed by officers and the nature of stops.

Key Provisions

• Defines 'traffic stops based on racial profiling' and prohibits stops caused solely by race or ethnicity.
• Requires written anti-profiling policies by municipal police departments and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
• Requires collection and retention of data on traffic stops, including observed demographic characteristics and stop details, with officer and stop information displayed together.
• Creates and requires forms for stop reporting and for filing complaints; requires complaints to be reviewed and dispositions reported to the Attorney General.
• Authorizes penalties, including withholding funds from agencies until appropriate training on racial profiling is completed.
• Exempts the bill from Amendment 621's local-funds requirements due to a small estimated fiscal impact (less than $50,000 annually).
• Effective date: becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage.

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

Subjects

Motor Vehicles