SB84 Alabama 2018 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rodger SmithermanSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2018

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

SB 84 would ban racial profiling in traffic stops and require police to adopt anti-profiling policies, collect stop data, handle complaints, and report to the Attorney General, while adding local-funding considerations for these requirements.

What This Bill Does

It defines racial profiling and prohibits stops based solely on race or ethnicity. It requires counties, municipalities, and the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to adopt written anti-profiling policies and to use forms for recording stop statistics and handling complaints, with reports filed to the Attorney General. It imposes data collection on stops (including demographics observed by officers and stop outcomes), requires complaint processing, and establishes penalties such as withholding funds for noncompliance, plus annual reporting and review by the Attorney General. It also creates forms for recording stops and complaints, and adds a constitutional funding constraint stating that implementing these provisions may require a 2/3 vote for new or increased local expenditures unless exceptions apply or funding is provided.

Who It Affects

• Law enforcement agencies (county and municipal police departments and the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency) would have to adopt written anti-profiling policies, collect stop data, maintain records, handle complaints, and report results to the Attorney General, with potential fund withholding for noncompliance.
• Local governments (counties and municipalities) would face potential new local expenditures to implement data collection, training, and reporting requirements, and would be subject to a constitutional rule requiring a 2/3 vote for new or increased local expenditures unless specific exceptions apply or funding is provided.

Key Provisions

• Defines traffic stops based on racial profiling as detaining or treating a motorist differently solely due to race/ethnicity and prohibits such profiling.
• Requires written policies prohibiting racial profiling and forms for traffic-stop statistics and complaints to be adopted by counties, municipalities, and the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency.
• Mandates data collection on stops including number of stops, observed race/ethnicity/gender/age, stop reason, and outcome (warning, citation, arrest, or search), with officer demographics recorded alongside the stopped individual.
• Requires agencies to provide copies of complaints to the Attorney General and to report on the review and disposition of those complaints.
• Allows the Attorney General to withhold funds from agencies that do not comply until appropriate training and implementation are completed.
• Requires periodic (biennial and then annual) summary reports to the Attorney General, with a broader review and a report to the Governor and Legislature.
• Directs the development of stop-record and complaint forms in print and electronic formats by the Attorney General, in collaboration with other state agencies.
• Amends Amendment 621 (Section 111.05) to require a 2/3 vote for new or increased local expenditures to implement these provisions, with exceptions or funding mechanisms as provided by law.
• Effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage/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

Motor Vehicles