SB308 Alabama 2018 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Low Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Bobby D. SingletonSenator
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2018
Title: Hale Co., sheriff authorized to sell certain abandoned, unclaimed, or stolen property and firearms, notice, record keeping requirement, distribution of funds for law enforcement purposes
Summary: This bill authorizes the Hale County Sheriff to sell abandoned, stolen, or unclaimed property (including firearms) at public auctions, keeps records, and dedicates sale proceeds to law enforcement.
What This Bill Does
It allows the sheriff to auction or dispose of abandoned or stolen property, including firearms. Non-firearm property can be sold after notice or after a six-month holding period; perishable items may be sold without notice if the owner cannot be located. Firearms can be sold only to licensed gun dealers after six months if unclaimed, or destroyed, with sale proceeds going to the Sheriff’s Office fund. Owners can claim property before sale by proving ownership and paying related costs; sale proceeds are used to support law enforcement.

Who It Affects
Owners of abandoned or stolen property or firearms recovered by the Hale County Sheriff’s Office; they may claim their property within specified timeframes and must cover recovery, storage, and related costs, otherwise property may be sold and proceeds go to the Sheriff’s Fund.
The Hale County community, including residents who may bid at auctions and licensed firearm dealers who may purchase firearms; the Sheriff’s Office will maintain records and use sale proceeds for law enforcement.

Key Provisions
Section 1: The sheriff must keep a permanent public record of all abandoned and stolen property with description, recovery date, identifying numbers, and place found; records must be open for public inspection; property must be stored to prevent deterioration.
Section 2: Perishable property may be sold immediately without notice if owner cannot be located; sheriff must seek the best price; proceeds are held for six months for the owner, who may claim them upon demand after deducting recovery, storage, and sale costs; unclaimed funds go to the Sheriff’s Office.
Section 3: The sheriff must keep a permanent record of abandoned or stolen firearms with description, recovery date, identifying numbers, and place; firearms may be sold or destroyed if unclaimed within six months; sales are only to gun dealers with a current federal firearms license and must be cash bids; proceeds go to the Sheriff.
Section 4: At least every six months, the sheriff may auction all other abandoned or stolen property (not firearms) that has remained unclaimed for the prior six months; notice must be published or posted for at least 20 days with details of items and auction times.
Section 5: Property owners can claim their property at any time before sale by proving ownership and paying applicable costs.
Section 6: When selling at auction, the sale record must note the details; the sheriff can reject unreasonably low bids and may continue the sale if no bidders are present.
Section 7: Proceeds from sales go into the Sheriff’s Fund and can be used exclusively for law enforcement at the sheriff’s discretion.
Section 8: The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and 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: Hale County