Page 9 - Equitable Sharing News Today

New Hampshire Bill to Opt State Out of Federal Asset Forfeiture Program in Trouble in State Senate CONCORD, N.H. (April 26, 2021)  A New Hampshire bill that would take a big step toward opting out of a federal asset forfeiture program sailed through the House, but has run into trouble in the Senate thanks to fierce law enforcement opposition. A coalition of seven Republicans filed House Bill 331 (HB331) on Jan 6. The legislation would prohibit any state or local law enforcement agency from off...

Ohio Leads the Way for Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform in 2017 Ohio Governor Kasich signed legislation that requires a criminal conviction before law enforcement can confiscate property. Tuesday, January 10, 2017 It’s a little over a week into 2017 and Ohio is already leading the way on civil asset forfeiture reform. On January 4th, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed legislation that would require a criminal conviction before civil asset forfeiture laws could be used by law enforcement to confis...

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (March 17, 2021) – Yesterday, Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill into law that reforms the state’s asset forfeiture laws and opts the state out of the federal “equitable sharing” program. Sen. Todd Weiler (R) introduced Senate Bill 98 (SB98) on Jan. 19. The new law makes several positive changes to Utah’s asset forfeiture process and clarifies ambiguity in the current law. It also includes important provisions that will opt Utah out of a federal asset forfeiture progr...

Select Page Alabama House Committee Passes Bill to End Civil Asset Forfeiture, Take Step to Opt Out of Federal Program MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Mar. 15, 2020) – Last week, an Alabama House committee passed a bill that would end civil asset forfeiture and start the process of withdrawing the state from a federal program that allows police to circumvent more strict state forfeiture laws by passing cases off to the feds. Rep. Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals) filed House Bill 394 (HB394) on  Feb. 10....

The legislation would require a criminal conviction before the prosecutors could begin forfeiture proceedings in most cases. The bill also includes provisions that would increase protections for property owners involved in the forfeiture process, including requiring an arrest before property could be received and prompt return of property if no criminal case exists.

Missouri House Committee Holds Hearing on Bill to Opt the State Out of Federal Asset Forfeiture Program JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (March 11, 2021) – On Tuesday, a Missouri House committee held a hearing on a bill that would close a loophole allowing state and local police to circumvent stringent state asset forfeiture laws by passing cases off to the federal government. Rep. Tony Lovasco (R-O’Fallon) filed House Bill 750 (HB750) on Jan. 7. The proposed law would prohibit Missouri law enforcement ...

The Utah House unanimously gave final approval to a bill that would reform the state’s asset forfeiture laws and opt out of a federal program that allows state and local police to circumvent tighter state asset forfeiture laws by passing cases off to the feds.

On Monday, an Arizona House Committee unanimously passed a bill that would reform the state’s asset forfeiture laws and prohibit the state from taking a person’s property without a criminal conviction in most cases. The proposed legislation would build on important reforms signed into law in 2017 that opted Arizona out of a federal forfeiture program.

A bill introduced in the West Virginia House would reform the state’s asset forfeiture laws and prohibit the state from taking a person’s property without a criminal conviction. The proposed law would also opt West Virginia out of a federal program that allows police to bypass more strict state asset forfeiture laws.

On Tuesday, a Hawaii Senate committee passed a bill that would reform asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction in most cases. But the legislation leaves a loophole open that allows police to circumvent stricter state laws by passing cases off to the feds.