SB554 Summary

• Creates a Crime Stoppers Advisory Board composed of three members appointed by the Attorney General, Governor, and Lieutenant Governor to oversee grant awards and program creation.

• Establishes the Crime Stoppers Grant Fund to collect donations and fund rewards, with the Department of Economic and Community Affairs or designated agency managing collection and distribution.

• Requires grant funds to be apportioned among Alabama's 67 counties based on population according to the latest federal decennial census.

• Establishes a statewide 24-hour, seven-day-a-week toll-free telephone service for reporting criminal activity tips to be forwarded to appropriate law enforcement agencies.

• Mandates that eligible crime stoppers programs be 501(c)(3) nonprofits offering anonymous tip lines and cash rewards, maintain active membership in Crime Stoppers USA or Crime Stoppers International and the Alabama Crime Stoppers Association, and protect caller confidentiality without express written consent.