LINCOLN, Neb. (July 20, 2016) – Today, civil asset forfeiture officially ends in Nebraska as reforms to asset forfeiture laws passed in the spring go into effect. Under the new law, the state can no longer take property without a criminal conviction. The legislation also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing…
PHOENIX, Ariz. (July 11, 2016) – The Arizona State House and Senate leadership soundly rejected the principles of the Founding Fathers during the 2016 legislative session. They protected the Washington D.C. status quo by killing 18 bills that would have blocked the federal enforcement of various unconstitutional programs. To make matters worse, most of the…
A heated debate in an Oklahoma county Sheriff’s race shows two contrasting mentalities common among elected officials. In this case, we have a Constitutional Sheriff who takes his oath very seriously going toe-to-toe against a big government centralizer repeating the federal propaganda no matter how absurd it may be. After the previous Canadian County Sheriff…
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (June 6, 2016) – Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has signed a bill into law that significantly reforms asset forfeiture laws. But an amendment approved during the process creates a loophole that could allow law enforcement to work with the feds to skirt the more stringent state law. Joseph F. Vallario, Jr. (D-Prince George’s County) sponsored House…
COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 30, 2016) – Last week, the Ohio House passed a bill that would reform asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction in the majority of cases. The legislation also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases off…
One thing Californians agree on is their opposition to laws that allow law enforcement to seize and keep people’s cash and property merely for being suspects of a crime, also known as asset forfeiture (learn more here). That’s according to a two new surveys by the Public Policy Polling. The surveys found “overwhelming statewide and…
COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 23, 2016) – Last week, an Ohio House committee passed a bill that would reform asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction in most cases. The legislation also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases off to…
CONCORD, N.H. (May 12, 2016) – Last week, a New Hampshire Senate committee passed a bill that represents an important first step to reform and restrict asset forfeiture, but bowed to law enforcement pressure and amended out sections that would have removed “policing for profit” incentives from state law. The move by the committee reveals the…
Last month we reported that the Feds restarted a program that helps local police get around state restrictions on asset forfeiture. Today, some states have taken steps to close this massive federal loophole.
LINCOLN, Neb. (April 20, 2016) – With the stroke of a pen, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts ended civil asset forfeiture by the state, signing a bill that reforms asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction. The legislation also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state…