HB612 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Matthew HammettRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Covington County; sheriff authorized to sell certain abandoned, unclaimed, or stolen property and firearms, auction and disposition of funds provided, constitutional amendment

Summary

A constitutional amendment authorizing Covington County's sheriff to sell abandoned, stolen, and unclaimed property and firearms at auctions and to use the proceeds for law enforcement.

What This Bill Does

If passed, Covington County's sheriff would maintain public records of recovered items, store them securely, and sell perishable or unclaimed items (seeking the best price) with proceeds held for six months for the owner. Firearms would be tracked and may only be sold to licensed gun dealers by highest sealed bid for cash, with unclaimed firearms potentially destroyed after six months. Non-firearm abandoned or stolen property would be sold at least every six months via public or internet auctions with required notice, and owners can claim items before sale by proving ownership and paying costs; sale proceeds go to the sheriff's fund to support law enforcement.

Who It Affects

• Covington County Sheriff’s Office and its operations
• Property owners whose abandoned, stolen, or unclaimed items are recovered (may claim ownership or receive proceeds)
• Licensed gun dealers (FFLs) who may bid on firearms
• General public and bidders who may participate in auctions
• Covington County and its law-enforcement funding (proceeds go to the sheriff's fund)

Key Provisions

• Authorize the sheriff to sell abandoned, stolen, and unclaimed personal property and firearms at auctions; disposition of proceeds to fund law enforcement
• Maintain permanent, public records for abandoned/stolen property and firearms (with descriptions, dates, serial numbers, and recovery locations)
• Store property securely to prevent deterioration; for perishable items, sell without notice and seek best price; six-month period for owner to claim proceeds, after which net funds go to the sheriff
• Firearms: keep records; may be sold only to licensed gun dealers (FFLs) via highest sealed bid and cash; unclaimed firearms may be destroyed after six months; proceeds go to the sheriff's fund
• Non-firearm property: at least every six months, sell at public or internet auctions with notice; owners can claim by proving ownership and paying costs; sale proceeds deposited into the sheriff's fund for law enforcement usage
• Proceeds from sales, after deducting recovery, storage, maintenance, and sale costs, go into the Covington County Sheriff’s Fund and may be used at the sheriff’s discretion for law enforcement

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 31, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Covington County