DOVER, Del. (April 18, 2016) – A bill introduced in the Delaware Senate would reform the state’s 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 laws by passing cases off to the feds in most…
LINCOLN, Neb. (April 14, 2016) – Yesterday, the Nebraska Senate gave final approval to a bill that would reform 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 laws by passing cases off to the feds in…
The following is a letter from California resident and activist Brian Gonzalez to his Assembly representative on SB443. This bill takes on Asset Forfeiture in the state, and would close a huge federal loophole that allows local police in California circumvent state-level asset forfeiture restrictions by “passing off” cases to federal agents and still getting up…
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (April 4, 2016) – Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill into law Friday that reforms the state’s asset forfeiture laws, but a federal loophole effectively renders even the modest improvements in state law potentially meaningless Sen. Jeffrey Brandes (R) sponsored Senate Bill 1044 (SB1044). As introduced, the legislation would have require criminal prosecution…
Through the federal “equitable sharing” program, police work with federal agencies to take your property - and they don’t even need to convict you of any criminal activity.
SB 443 will ensure that a person’s property can only be permanently forfeited as once a conviction is obtained in a court of law.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (March 30, 2016) – Some recent news headlines trumpeted asset forfeiture reform in Wyoming as a potential “game-changing precedent.” It could indeed be game-changing – like getting stopped on the goal line in the fourth quarter of a football game. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead signed Senate File 46 into law on Feb. 29. It…
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2016) – The federal government’s Asset Forfeiture Equitable Sharing Program is back in business, proving once again that depending on the federal government to limit itself is a fool’s errand. Equitable Sharing allows state and local police to collect up to 80 percent of asset forfeiture proceeds when they hand cases off…
CONCORD, N.H. (March 23, 2016) – Today the New Hampshire House passed a bill that represents an important first step to reform and restrict civil asset forfeiture. Rep. Dan McGuire (R-Merrimack), along with 10 bipartisan legislators, introduced House Bill 636 (HB636) in January. The legislation would reform New Hampshire law by requiring a criminal conviction before…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Mar 16, 2016) – Today, a House Subcommittee voted unanimously to kill a bill reform asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction. The legislation would have also taken on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases off to the feds in…