SB21 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rodger SmithermanSenator

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

SB 21 would ban racial profiling in traffic stops, require anti-profiling policies and standardized data collection by police agencies, establish a complaints and reporting system, and require injury data on officers, while noting local funding implications.

What This Bill Does

It defines racial profiling and prohibits traffic stops based solely on a motorist's race or ethnicity. It requires counties, municipalities, and the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to adopt written anti-profiling policies, use standardized stop-data forms, collect and record stop details (including observed demographics), and provide complaints to the Attorney General. It also requires collection and reporting of serious injuries to officers, with data gathered and summarized for the Governor and Legislature, and creates a funding consideration under Alabama’s local-expenditure rule that could require a 2/3 vote or local approval.

Who It Affects

• Law enforcement agencies (counties, municipalities, and the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency) must implement anti-profiling policies, collect stop data, handle complaints, and report to the Attorney General; noncompliance could trigger funding penalties.
• Drivers and the general public would see formal data collection on traffic stops (including demographics) and access to a formal complaints process, with information used to review stops and inform state actions.

Key Provisions

• Provision 1: Defines traffic stops based on racial profiling, prohibits stopping or detaining motorists solely because of race or ethnicity (and bans using race as the sole factor for probable cause or an investigatory stop).
• Provision 2: Requires adoption of written anti-profiling policies by all relevant law enforcement agencies, development of standardized data-collection forms for stops and complaints, reporting to the Attorney General, and annual summaries of stop data and complaints (plus a separate requirement to collect data on serious officer injuries). It also notes potential new local-expenditure requirements under Amendment 621, which may require a 2/3 vote or local approval for funding.

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