SB191 Alabama 2019 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Arthur OrrSenator
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2019
Title: Asset forfeitures, Alabama Forfeiture Accountability and Integrity Reform Act, established, Secs. 13A-8-117, 13A-11-37, 15-5-60 to 15-5-65, inclusive, 20-2-93 repealed
Summary: SB 191 creates a formal reporting system for forfeiture seizures and proceeds in Alabama, with annual transparency to the Legislature.
What This Bill Does
It requires all property seized for forfeiture by state, county, or municipal law enforcement to be reported to the uniform crime reporting system. The Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center Commission will develop reporting rules and require data fields such as seizure date, location, agency, property type, description, involved parties, related arrests, civil case numbers, claimants, dispositions, and recipients of seized property or proceeds; it also covers federal seizures and proceeds from sales. Civil asset forfeiture funds must be kept in separate budget line items and deposited into audited public funds, with expenditures restricted to those line items. An annual report is due to the Legislature by February 1, summarizing seizure and forfeiture activity, property values and dispositions, and proceeds received, with possible recommendations to improve laws and policies.

Who It Affects
Law enforcement agencies (state, county, and municipal) that conduct forfeitures and must report seizures and manage funds in dedicated budget line items.
The public, including crime victims, innocent property owners, and taxpayers, who gain from increased transparency and published summaries of seizures, dispositions, and proceeds.

Key Provisions
Establishes the Alabama Forfeiture Information Reporting Act with reporting requirements for property seized for forfeiture and annual legislative reporting.
Section 2(a): All forfeiture seizures must be reported to the uniform crime reporting system; the Commission sets required data fields (date, address, agency, property type, description, parties, underlying activity, related arrests, civil case numbers, claimants, disposition, recipients, and proceeds).
Section 2(b): Rules for reporting property seized in federal seizures and for when agencies receive proceeds from sale.
Section 2(c): Reporting restrictions and protections aligned with uniform crime reporting.
Section 3(a)-(b): Civil asset forfeiture funds must be kept in separate line items and expended only from that line item; proceeds must be deposited into accounts audited as public funds.
Section 4: Annual report due by Feb 1 to legislative leaders and Governor; includes seizure/forfeiture summary, property values and dispositions, and proceeds; data may be disaggregated and posted on the Commission's website; may include policy recommendations.
Section 5: Immediate effectiveness for Sections 1-2; remaining sections take effect October 1, 2019.

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