HB266 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Merika ColemanSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Traffic stops, racial profiling by law enforcement officers, prohibited, written policies, forms for statistics, and reports to Attorney General required, provision for complaints, reporting and collection of data on injuries to officers, required

Summary

HB 266 would ban racial profiling in traffic stops, require written anti-profiling policies and stop-data reporting by police, establish complaint and injury-data collection, and require annual reporting to the Attorney General, with local funding implications.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, it defines racial profiling and prohibits stops based solely on race or ethnicity. Police agencies must adopt written policies and data-collection forms for traffic stops, track and report stop details (including observed demographics of motorists and officers), and handle complaints with reports to the Attorney General. It also requires tracking injuries to officers and submitting annual summaries and a statewide review. A constitutional funding provision means new local costs would usually need a 2/3 vote or local approval, or state funding, to take effect.

Who It Affects

• Law enforcement agencies in Alabama (state, county, and municipal) must implement policies, collect data, handle complaints, and report to the Attorney General; noncompliance could lead to penalties such as withheld funds.
• Drivers and others who are stopped by police (and potential complainants) by creating data about stops and providing a channel to file complaints, increasing transparency and accountability.

Key Provisions

• Defines racial profiling and prohibits traffic stops based solely on race, color, ethnicity, age, gender, or sexual orientation.
• Requires local police departments and the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to adopt written anti-profiling policies and to implement standard stop-statistics forms and complaint forms.
• Mandates recording of stop data, including observed race/color/ethnicity, gender, age, reason for the stop, and outcome (warning, citation, arrest, or search); officer characteristics must be recorded alongside the motorist's information.
• Requires agencies to provide copies of complaints to the Attorney General and to report disposition of complaints; allows use of the data for review and training.
• Provides that demographic data collected in good faith cannot be used as the basis of civil action unless lawful violations occur.
• Authorizes the Attorney General to withhold funds from noncompliant agencies until appropriate training is completed.
• Requires annual summary reports to the Attorney General and a formal review of stops and complaints to be provided to the Governor and Legislature.
• Section 3 requires development of forms for stop data and for complaints, in both printed and electronic formats.
• Section 4 requires agencies to adopt a policy and form to collect information on serious injuries to officers, with data filed to the Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission and ALSA for compilation.
• Amendment 621 (local-funding provision) means new or increased local expenditures require a 2/3 vote unless local approval or state funding is provided.

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