SB183 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Josh CarnleySenator

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe; authorization to hire a police officer

Summary

SB183 authorizes the Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe to hire certified police officers to protect the reservation and residents, with defined on-reservation powers and limited off-reservation authority.

What This Bill Does

The bill lets the tribe employ police officers who meet Alabama's POST certification requirements to protect reservation property and people. The officers would have powers similar to state police on the reservation, including bearing firearms and arresting certain people without a warrant, and they can bring suspects before a court. Their authority is limited to the reservation, and off-reservation actions are allowed only when pursuing someone on the reservation or arresting someone for a felony committed on the reservation. The act also bars use of state or local funds to financially support the tribal police and it takes effect October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe, including its residents and employees, who would gain a tribal police force authorized to protect tribal property and people on the reservation
• Alabama state and local law enforcement and courts, which would not provide funding for tribal officers and would interact with tribal officers only within the limits of on-reservation jurisdiction and tribal-officer custody/prosecution processes

Key Provisions

• The tribe may employ one or more police officers who meet Alabama POST certification requirements.
• Tribal police officers have the powers of state police on the reservation, including bearing firearms and performing arrests and related duties.
• Officers may eject trespassers, arrest without a warrant for certain offenses on the reservation, and bring defendants before courts on the reservation.
• With a lawful warrant, officers may arrest individuals for offenses on the reservation and coordinate charging and prosecution with the appropriate court.
• Off-reservation police powers are limited to pursuing offenders on the reservation or arresting felons who committed offenses on the reservation, and these powers do not extend broadly off the reservation.
• Individuals arrested by tribal officers may be held by the appropriate law enforcement agency with jurisdiction and prosecuted by a court of jurisdiction.
• No state or local funds allocated for law enforcement may be used to financially support tribal police officers.
• The act becomes effective October 1, 2025.

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