SB249 Alabama 2024 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Josh CarnleySenator
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2024
Title: Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indians, authorize to employ police
Summary: SB249 would allow the Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe to hire certified police officers to protect tribal property and residents, with authority limited to the reservation and defined arrest powers.
What This Bill Does
The bill authorizes the tribe to employ one or more certified police officers to protect the reservation, its property, employees, and residents. It grants officers powers similar to state police on the reservation, including the ability to eject trespassers, arrest without a warrant for certain offenses, and prosecute offenses on the reservation, as well as arrest with a warrant. Off-reservation authority is limited to pursuing offenders or arresting felons when the offense occurred on the reservation, and funding for these officers must come from the tribe, not state or local funds. The act takes effect on October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects
Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe (council, employees, residents): gains authority to hire certified police officers to protect tribal property and people, funded by the tribe.
People on the Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Reservation (including trespassers and visitors): become subject to tribal police enforcement on the reservation; arrests and removals can be conducted by tribal officers, with custody potentially transferred to other law enforcement agencies; off-reservation actions are restricted.

Key Provisions
The tribe may employ one or more individuals to act as police officers to protect the reservation from intruders and trespassers, protect tribal property, and ensure safety of residents and employees.
Police officers hired by the tribe must meet Alabama POST certification requirements and have powers equivalent to state police officers, including bearing firearms.
Funding for tribal police cannot come from state or local law enforcement funds; officers remain employees of the tribe, and their authority ends when they are no longer employed by the tribe.
On the reservation, tribal officers can eject trespassers, arrest without a warrant for certain offenses in the presence of the officer, bring arrested individuals before a court, and arrest with a warrant for offenses on the reservation.
Arrested individuals may be held by the appropriate law enforcement agency for incarceration and prosecution.
Tribal police authority is limited to the reservation; off-reservation actions are allowed only for lawful pursuits or felonies committed on the reservation.
The act becomes effective October 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Public Safety & Emergencies